Friday
Moderator
LMFAO... I have no idea what kind of bird that is (parrot?)... but the way it moves is IDENTICAL to some of the muppets in The Dark Crystal!!!
Our feathered friends, birdbrains, and wingnuts
- Thread starter gealach
- Start date
bellbird
MyPTSD Pro
It is a giant, flightless, nocturnal parrot.
(actually not kidding lol)
Called Kākāpō.
Endemic to NZ and critically endangered.
bellbird
MyPTSD Pro
Basically NZ is (was) (well, still is I guess given the susceptibility of our natives to predation) one big science experiment on:
"What happens when birds evolve in the absence of terrestrial mammals?"
Answer: You get a whole lot of niches usually filled by mammals, instead filled by birds.
Annnnnnd, everything goes to shit when you introduce mammalian predators.
(annnnnnd then people get super biased because cute! fluffy! and try to advocate the free-roaming of mammalian predators above the preservation of our super cool, unique, incredibly beautiful native avian (/reptilian/ insect/ etc) species).
Sigh. Evolution can't work that fast to keep up.
"What happens when birds evolve in the absence of terrestrial mammals?"
Answer: You get a whole lot of niches usually filled by mammals, instead filled by birds.
Annnnnnd, everything goes to shit when you introduce mammalian predators.
(annnnnnd then people get super biased because cute! fluffy! and try to advocate the free-roaming of mammalian predators above the preservation of our super cool, unique, incredibly beautiful native avian (/reptilian/ insect/ etc) species).
Sigh. Evolution can't work that fast to keep up.
Friday
Moderator
The hummingbirds have been committing frenzied aerial battles to determine ownership of the feeder during the coming winter months. Instead of 2-3 per day it’s 40-50 per day.
I have to be careful walking outside, becuase unlike bats, hummers will occasionally slam into you and I’m worried about losing an eye. Not deeply worried, more of just a casual concern, but still. PART of thay is that I smoke, and as such, am frequently outside. About a meter from the feeder. And the longtime denizens USE ME to scare off interlopers. <facepalm> Not just taking advantage of startled fly-aways as I do something human-like out the corner of their eye... but as a motherf*cking obstacle course to dare their enemies to traverse.
ZzzzwwwwwwIPPP. Bzzzzzwrrrrrrrrr. TikTikTikTIK!!!
^ The sound of a hummer flying behind my ear to hover just behind my head -or sit on my sleeping bag- and then taunt it’s enemy who is about a meter in front of me. <facepalm>
IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL ONE OF US LOSES AN EYE! You two! Go thattaway. For f*cks sake. Zwwwwwwwwip bzzzwrrrr zzzzzzzzwzzzsh
***
The point of all of this lead up? One of them has lost a flight feather in their dogfighting. And now sounds nothing like a humming bird, and rather a lot like a cat swallowed a bicycle tire with a playing card attached to the rim, and is hurtling through space being chased by aliens with laser blasters. It’s a really unique sound. I’m suspecting he’s going to win this round of ....MY Feeder. MINE... if only because everywhere he flys giant clouds of crows, and startled hawks, eagles, and herons go leaping into the air. And “things that will eat you” make a better obstacle course to drag your enemies through than one hairless beach ape. Even if I adorn myself in giant flapping capes and randomly light shit on fire. (I also cook my coffee out here. The local hummers are nonplussed but the migrating ones almost leave their feathers behind when my steam vent starts singing, or the cloud of gas catches in a good couple feet of whoomph).
I have to be careful walking outside, becuase unlike bats, hummers will occasionally slam into you and I’m worried about losing an eye. Not deeply worried, more of just a casual concern, but still. PART of thay is that I smoke, and as such, am frequently outside. About a meter from the feeder. And the longtime denizens USE ME to scare off interlopers. <facepalm> Not just taking advantage of startled fly-aways as I do something human-like out the corner of their eye... but as a motherf*cking obstacle course to dare their enemies to traverse.
ZzzzwwwwwwIPPP. Bzzzzzwrrrrrrrrr. TikTikTikTIK!!!
^ The sound of a hummer flying behind my ear to hover just behind my head -or sit on my sleeping bag- and then taunt it’s enemy who is about a meter in front of me. <facepalm>
IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES UNTIL ONE OF US LOSES AN EYE! You two! Go thattaway. For f*cks sake. Zwwwwwwwwip bzzzwrrrr zzzzzzzzwzzzsh
***
The point of all of this lead up? One of them has lost a flight feather in their dogfighting. And now sounds nothing like a humming bird, and rather a lot like a cat swallowed a bicycle tire with a playing card attached to the rim, and is hurtling through space being chased by aliens with laser blasters. It’s a really unique sound. I’m suspecting he’s going to win this round of ....MY Feeder. MINE... if only because everywhere he flys giant clouds of crows, and startled hawks, eagles, and herons go leaping into the air. And “things that will eat you” make a better obstacle course to drag your enemies through than one hairless beach ape. Even if I adorn myself in giant flapping capes and randomly light shit on fire. (I also cook my coffee out here. The local hummers are nonplussed but the migrating ones almost leave their feathers behind when my steam vent starts singing, or the cloud of gas catches in a good couple feet of whoomph).
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Friday
Moderator
aargh... I have a really cool response to this, that my brain is to tired to make linear into words. Essentially floating cities and dedicated biomes who can help bridge that gap for critically endangered species... but every time I try to start talking about it, we start getting the typed version of word-salad.
bellbird
MyPTSD Pro
So those dedicated biomes would function as sanctuaries to improve numbers that had been reduced to endangered levels on the main land, or?
(I'm aware as I type this out I'm potentially prompting word-salad... my intention was to just clarify one small leaf, but no worries if you can't get there easily :)
Friday
Moderator
LOL... I tried! Total clusterf*ck. I’ll hit you up on the science thread when my brain gets its wrinkles back ;) instead of being this marble smooth rock rattling around in my noggin.
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OliveJewel
MyPTSD Pro
LOL!!! Those hummers are so smart! I took a slow motion video of hummers at my feeder and their calls sound like little barks to each other. Will try to post at some point.
Came here to say that grooming my parrotlet is a new soothing activities for both of us—and long nails make it even easier to crack those feather casings!
OliveJewel
MyPTSD Pro
Friday
Moderator
I have nooooooo idea what species of bird it is... something small and tongue clicking chirpy... but I’m out here at dawn, listening to Benny Goodman’s SingSingSing, and they’re following the drum solo. 🤣
I didn’t realize birds hearing was THAT good. I only ever wear one earbud at a time, so they’ve got to be hearing the song from the dangling one... as my whistling the melody? Just isn’t good enough to infer the beat much less predict the solo.
The also love the last few measures, but switch to the melody for that bit. It’s cracking me up. I’ve played the song about 4 times now. Switching to Glen Miller’s In The Mood to see what they do with that one. One damn musical bird.
ETA... They do not like Glen Miller. They DO like The Andrews Sisters.
I didn’t realize birds hearing was THAT good. I only ever wear one earbud at a time, so they’ve got to be hearing the song from the dangling one... as my whistling the melody? Just isn’t good enough to infer the beat much less predict the solo.
The also love the last few measures, but switch to the melody for that bit. It’s cracking me up. I’ve played the song about 4 times now. Switching to Glen Miller’s In The Mood to see what they do with that one. One damn musical bird.
ETA... They do not like Glen Miller. They DO like The Andrews Sisters.
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OliveJewel
MyPTSD Pro
@Friday, that is so funny! Birds are amazing! I forget how well they can hear too!
