How overwhelming all this is........just out of a simple question.....Do
Waterfowls mate for life? Goodness.
Rob
On Tue, May 20, 2008 at 6:55 PM, <> wrote:
> To be honest, I'm not sure what terms/language fits the bill for the
> behaviour, and yes "forced copulation" has an odd "ring" to it as well.
> Buggered if I know.
>
> It's just that the term rape involves questions of intent in its
> criminological definition - generally speaking - so I just find it rather
> creepy to be implying that birds are working with intent to "force" and so
> on.
>
> But, hell, if we want it as a term to stick onto avian behaviour, let's
> not stop there. Let's put them on trial! And televise the court cases.
> That will get birding some publicity.
>
>
> cheers
>
> Craig
>
> > Thanks, Paul. And saying that instead of "rape" would avoid the
> > potential problems you describe, Craig?
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Paul McDonald
> > Sent: Tuesday, 20 May 2008 3:05 PM
> > To: Peter Shute
> > Cc: ; Merrilyn Serong;
> >
> > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Partners
> >
> > The correct terminology in ornithological circles is 'forced
> > copulation'.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Paul
> >
> > On 20/05/2008, at 2:58 PM, Peter Shute wrote:
> >
> >> So what word/phrase would you use instead of rape?
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From:
> >> On Behalf Of
> >>
> >> Sent: Tuesday, 20 May 2008 2:27 PM
> >> To: Merrilyn Serong
> >> Cc:
> >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Partners
> >>
> >> Hi Merrilyn,
> >>
> >> Your contribution to this little discussion tangent is deeply
> >> appreciated.
> >> I was getting ready to throw a rant into action about the total
> >> undesirability of applying human legal concepts and designated crimes
> >> such as rape to birds or other animals.
> >>
> >> Being playful about human/bird connections is one thing, but it's
> >> another entirely when the term "rape" is applied to animal behaviour
> >> and there are a range of very dangerous and dodgy implications that
> >> might stem from such games.
> >>
> >> For instance, what if some human idiot "out there" decides to rid the
> >> world of wren "rapists" based on some half-baked bit of
> >> anthropomorphism.
> >> That's all we need. Let alone some human accused launching a defence
> >> along the lines of "If ducks can't help but do it, I rest my case".
> >>
> >> best wishes
> >>
> >> Craig Williams
> >>
> >>> Hi Belinda and others,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> It is obvious that if a male bird mates with lots of females, he is
> >>> more likely to produce a greater number of offspring than if he mates
> >
> >>> with only one bird. If his male offspring inherit the behavioural
> >>> propensity to mate with lots of females, then the proportion of
> >>> multiple-mating males in the population will increase, and so it goes
> >
> >>> on. Those that only mate with one female, will be relatively scarce.
> >>>
> >>> If a female bird mates with several males, she will be more likely to
> >
> >>> produce young with a wide variety of characteristics (sperm
> >>> competition aside). Depending on environmental conditions, this may
> >>> increase the number of offspring that survive to sexual maturity. If
> >>> the survivors inherit the propensity to mate with several partners,
> >>> then the chances of their offspring surviving will also increase,
> >>> etc.
> >>>
> >>> On the other hand, if a female mates with only one male, even a
> >>> really
> >>
> >>> good quality one, if environmental conditions change, then the
> >>> offspring might not be well suited to the new conditions and may not
> >>> survive to maturity. However, if environmental conditions are
> >>> unchanging, then mating with the best (fittest for the current
> >>> conditions) available male will produce the greatest number of
> >> surviving offspring.
> >>>
> >>> Similarly, under certain circumstances, young will be more likely to
> >>> survive if they have more than one carer, i.e. both mother and father
> >
> >>> (and sometimes older siblings as well). These survivors will inherit
> >>> the capacity to care for young in a socially stable partnership along
> >
> >>> with whatever mating system was employed by their parents (single or
> >>> multiple partners).
> >>>
> >>> It's all about inheritance and survival.
> >>>
> >>> Cheers,
> >>> Merrilyn
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Belinda Cassidy wrote:
> >>>> Hi Kurtis, John, Rosemary, Storm, and everyone,
> >>>>
> >>>> I must apologise for being so curt. I don't know whats got into me
> >>>> today; anyway I didn't mean to put everyone off side. Its been an
> >>>> emotional week for me and I guess I sprung a leak.
> >>>>
> >>>> I think we all agree that the scientific evidence demonstrates that
> >>>> some birds pair for life, and some do not. I don't even know why
> >>>> this
> >>
> >>>> is being hotly debated, but like I said, I have my suspicions as to
> >>>> the reasons.
> >>>> You're right though Kurtis, suspicions are not the same as
> >>>> scientific
> >>
> >>>> fact.
> >>>>
> >>>> Cheers,
> >>>> Bel
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> ===============================
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> >>> birding-aus.blogspot.com
> >>>
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> >>
> >>
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> >
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > Dr. Paul G. McDonald
> >
> > Centre for the Integrative Study of Animal Behaviour Macquarie
> > University Sydney, NSW 2109 Australia
> >
> > Ph: +612 9850 9232 Fax: +612 9850 9231
> >
> >
> > http://galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au/~paul/<http://galliform.bhs.mq.edu.au/%7Epaul/>
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
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