Birds hold 'funerals' for dead

Birds hold 'funerals' for dead

www.bbc.co.uk

Some birds, it seems, hold funerals for their dead.

When western scrub jays encounter a dead bird, they call out to one another and stop foraging.

The jays then often fly down to the dead body and gather around it, scientists have discovered.

The behaviour may have evolved to warn other birds of nearby danger, report researchers in California, who have published the findings in the journal Animal Behaviour.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I have heard about this with elephants, but never a species of bird. And though there are specific survival reasons for gathering around recently deceased animals, elephants are also known for having an emotional system closest to humans.

It would seem that this funeral system that the birds are implementing is very similar to the one elephants do so, there is a possibility that these birds may also have an emotional system. Of course, it still serves a purpose for protecting themselves and others but it would seem that is not what it's all about entirely.

In this thread by smyleegrl: Animals Are As With-it as Humans (Animals Are Conscious) they are coming to the conclusion that animals have a similar consciousness to humans, perhaps they have a similar emotional system and are empathetic/sympathetic. I'm sure most of you will agree that domestic pets can feel when you're upset but maybe it's not limited to them. =)

www.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by ErroneousDylan
As we get further ahead in consciousness studies and empathy, I honestly believe society will see animals in a new light. It won't stop some of them from being tasty. What might happen is we'll begin to see consciousness, sentience, empathy in broader terms than yes and no.

I think they're inspecting it rather than mourning a loved one, funeral is probably the wrong word.

I believe elephants could possibly do it, they're extremely intelligent.

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


Certainly, birds appear to be more intelligent than we often give them credit for.

For instance, birds are some of the few animals beside man that use tools.

Bird intelligence Tool Use
Bird's Tool Use Called 'Amazing'

• Crows in urban Japan have innovated a technique to crack hard-shelled nuts by dropping them onto crosswalks and letting them be run over and cracked by cars. They then retrieve the cracked nuts when the cars are stopped at the red light.

• Macaws have been shown to utilize rope to fetch items that would normally be difficult to reach.

• Striated Herons use bait to catch fish.

Bird intelligence Tool Use

reply to post by Kandinsky


Maybe..

But do you think that given the possible fact that animals may be comparatively as intelligent as humans despite them showing it in different ways, it would stop people eating animals? Or simply cause more apathy towards animals with a new belief that even intelligent animals are nothing more than food for human consumption?

I think it'd simply cause more people to shrug their shoulders and eat whatever is put in front of them.

reply to post by SpearMint


Really?

Birds are very smart.
.

reply to post by Kandinsky


Well said.

I would probably weep if I saw a bird funeral in progress. I also feel animals are far more connected than we are to the grid. We could learn a lot from quieting our minds and paying more attention to nature.

reply to post by selfharmonise


I know some birds are quite smart or good at problem solving, I don't think they're capable of holding a funeral though.

Originally posted by SpearMint
I think they're inspecting it rather than mourning a loved one, funeral is probably the wrong word.

I believe elephants could possibly do it, they're extremely intelligent.

Certainly elephants are very clever. They can even paint pictures of other elephants.

An Elephant Painting an Elephant





They aren't even beyond creating a little elephant porn...

reply to post by Kandinsky


Reminds me of this video on The Empathetic Civilisation and Mirror neurons.

reply to post by SpearMint


Define funeral.....

You know, I was thinking just the other day.

Where do birds go to die?

I've never seen a bird carcass, unless It's been road kill or a chick fallen from a nest.

So where do they go?

Reminds me of last year as I was driving to work. My boss was behind me in his tipper and a dove flew down and hit my car but survived. I looked in my mirror just as my boss accidently ran it over.
All of a sudden it seemed that all the birds in that area, not just doves but others, flew down and huddled around it as if they were mourning this dead dove. Should of got a video but it all happened very quickly.

reply to post by winofiend
It's hard to say. A similar controversy to the Abolitionist Movement could occur as the right to life and quality of life would be disputed in similar ways. In the West particularly, we'd be very resistant to the idea and the evidence. Probably wouldn't stop us eating bacon, but guilt might take the greatness from the taste. Sheesh...

reply to post by woodwardjnr
Hiya Woodsy, I'm listening to the video right now and it's good. Just did a quick search for mirror neurons and corvids/crows - not a lot out there yet. The questions in your video are actually very good indeed. Thanks for that.

Originally posted by selfharmonise
reply to post by SpearMint

 

Define funeral.....

Noun:
The ceremonies honoring a dead person, typically involving burial or cremation.

What are you getting at?

Originally posted by SpearMint
I think they're inspecting it rather than mourning a loved one, funeral is probably the wrong word.

I believe elephants could possibly do it, they're extremely intelligent.

Inspecting the body of a dead bird would serve no purpose other than possibly searching for food. However, the article stated that once a dead bird was found, the other birds would stop foraging for a daylong period. If they were concerned with food this would not be the case. As well, the article did not say that the deceased bird's body was moved around by other birds which would have been the case if they were searching for food. That is the only reason I can think of for a bird to inspect a dead bird, as 1) it would cause them vulnerability, and 2) knowing what killed their previous friend would not prepare them any more than they already are.

If you read the article, however, you should see that, besides possible emotional reasons, they do in fact have a specific reason for doing this.

Also interesting from the article..

Giraffes and elephants, for example, have been recorded loitering around the body of a recently deceased close relative, raising the idea that animals have a mental concept of death, and may even mourn those that have passed.

Ever had a conversation with a bird? Theyre extremely intelligent, and i have no doubt whatsoever they have emotions... and non speaking species are just as intelligent as speaking ones. Small birds are just physically incapable of speaking because of the size of their uhmn...voice box. Ive caught mocking birds attempting to speak though, lol.....

However, its a similar intelligence to a young child. Not an adult human. Do children understand death? not really.

I owned a male and female cockatiel. The female got sick and died with basically no warning at all....very common for birds...they hide that theyre sick. The male cuddled up with her before she died and stayed cuddled up with her for hours after she died. he got really depressed and quiet and eventually we had to give him away to a friend that had cockatiels to try to help.

He would always whistle the andy griffith song when he was happy lmao....i never heard him do it again after his lady died......



So, birds do have an emotional response to other birds dying. But im not sure they understand death.

reply to post by RealSpoke
This bugs me. It's as if years of video footage and academic studies never get a chance to connect and solidify the concept of some animals being conscious of grief, separation and loss.

Instead, we get it presented like it's some crazy rumour. It seems there's a reluctance to get down and dirty with the connotations.