Those are definitely not real bright. I've thought a lot about dim birds,
because I live on an island where there are literally thousands of curlews (ie
bush thick-knees). I love them dearly, but I've maintained for a long time,
that with eyes that big, in a head that small, there can't be a lot of room for
cognitive excellence.
Anyway a good mate of mine, maintains that curlews aren't stupid, because they
aren't trashing the world, causing wars, etc, etc. All true enough, but we had
an ongoing good-natured argument anyway. One day he admits, sheepishly, that
curlews "may be a bit dim". This is what convinced him: his pair of curlews
courted, mated, establshed a nest and generally acted like careful
parents-to-be. They started incubating ... 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks (I
advised that they're overdue), 6 weeks, 7 ... 3 months went by. One morning,
he's on the veranda, and sees the off-duty partner come in clucking - classic
change-over behaviour, so he watches carefully. The incubating bird stands up,
affording a brief glimpse of ... a piece of coral! Not a nice round, eroded
brain coral mind you, a three-branched, bleached Acropora (your classic
staghorn). He lifted the curlew and threw the coral away in disgust, at which
point the birds seemed to sigh with relief and immediately stopped being
clucky.
Fine. Perhaps they were just learning. This year, they started brooding. 2
weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks. My mate intervened and lifted the curlew to see what
was going on - one warm Burdekin plum! I suspect it'll be a discarded Rubick's
cube next year.
Eric
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of brian fleming
Sent: Thursday, 27 September 2012 2:41 PM
To: Ed Williams;
Subject: Australia's Stupidest Bird?
I once saw a pair of Spotted Doves attempting to mate when the female had
perched on a very slim twig.
When they reached the flappy stage, the twig gave up and bent, and they both
fell off.
As far as I can tell, once the young have left the nest they receive little or
no care or guidance. Presumably their continued survival is due to sheer
persistence.
Anthea Fleming
On 27/09/2012 12:49 PM, Ed Williams wrote:
>
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> Recently a Spotted Dove has been trying to build a nest on one of my plastic
> drainpipes in the backyard. Every time he comes over and puts a twig onto
> his nest site he knocks the previous one off.
>
>
>
> I'm sure that alone wouldn't make him the stupidest bird in Australia - but
> today marks the TWELTH WEEK that he has been doing this!
>
>
>
> I have swept up countless piles of twigs and sticks from underneath that
> would have made a Golden Bowerbird proud...
>
>
>
> Can't fault his persistence - but three months in he still only has one twig
> to show for it.
>
>
>
> Surely a contender for Australia's stupidest bird?
>
>
>
> Cheers all,
>
>
>
> Ed
>
>
>
>
>
> Ed Williams
>
> Kingsville, VIC
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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