TAN: Mockingbirds (was: Latin for Goobledygook)

This may be of interest to some ...

On 6/1/09 8:46 AM, "J. L. Speranza" <Jlsperanza <at> AOL.COM> wrote:

> Mockingmale -- you probably think this song is about  you!

And if it's the mockingbird that JLS means, it's more than just singing ...

1) Science Daily  5/19/09:

"Mockingbirds -- No Bird Brains -- Can Recognize A Face In A Crowd"

Excerpts:

"University of Florida biologists are reporting that mockingbirds recognize
and remember people whom the birds perceive as threatening their nests. If
the white-and-grey songbirds common in cities and towns throughout the
Southeast spot their unwelcome guests, they screech, dive bomb and even
sometimes graze the visitors' heads -- while ignoring other passers-by or
nearby strangers.

'We tend to view all mockingbirds as equal, but the feeling is not mutual,'
said Doug Levey, a UF professor of biology. 'Mockingbirds certainly do not
view all humans as equal.'"

[snip]

"For most wild animals, urban development brings less habitat and more
predators. Many species flee or die off, but a few persist, and some thrive.
It seems obvious that these species do better around people, but why?

Few people bother mockingbird nests, so that is hardly an answer. Rather,
Levey said, the birds' ability to recognize people suggests perceptual
powers that give them an edge in dealing with the complexities of urban
environments -- such as being able to judge which cats may be aware of nests
and which are simply passing blithely nearby.

'We don't believe mockingbirds evolved an ability to distinguish between
humans. Mockingbirds and humans haven't been living in close association
long enough for that to occur.' Levey said. 'We think instead that our
experiments reveal an underlying ability to be incredibly perceptive of
everything around them, and to respond appropriately when the stakes are
high.'"

More:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090518172437.htm

2) Science Daily 5/25/09:

"Mockingbirds In Fickle Climates Sing Fancier Tunes

Excerpts:

"A large-scale study of mockingbirds in diverse habitats reveals that
species in more variable climes also sing more complex tunes. 'As
environments become more variable or unpredictable, song displays become
more elaborate,' said Carlos Botero, a postdoctoral researcher at NESCent in
Durham, NC. NESCent is an NSF-funded collaborative research center operated
by Duke University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and
North Carolina State University.

Local climate patterns are good indicators of how challenging life is in a
given location, Botero said. 'Survival and reproduction become more
complicated when weather patterns are unpredictable because you don't know
when food will be available or how long it will be around,' he explains.
What's more, the consequences of picking a mediocre mate are magnified in
harsher climes"

[snip]

"Male mockingbirds sing primarily to impress mates, said Botero. Superior
singing skills are a cue that a male is a good catch. 'Complexity of song
display ­ how many song types a bird sings, how hard the songs are - is a
good predictor of the quality of the individual,' said Botero. 'Males that
sing more complex songs tend to carry fewer parasites, and have offspring
that are more likely to survive.'

Songbirds aren't born knowing their songs, however: they have to learn them
over time. Since birdsong is a learned behavior, Botero and colleagues
suspect that song-learning ability may also be a display of learning ability
in general. The bird equivalent of sparkling conversation, complex songs may
indicate which males have not only brawn, but also brainpower. 'Birds that
sing better are telling others, at least indirectly: Hey, I'm a good
learner,' said Botero."

More:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090521131306.htm

JMM / LMC