Birds Stories
The Social Psychology of a Backyard Aviary
by Leon James
Professor of Psychology
University of Hawaii
© 1978 Taken from
Society's Witnesses -- A Social Psychology Study Book
Bird Stories (1) by Leon James
Birds and I have had a close relationship since I was a child in
Rumania, in the late 1930's. I grew up with pigeons--for whom my father has had
a compulsive interest since his childhood. We have a family photograph showing
him, as a youth of 13, holding a pigeon amidst the formally dressed people. That
photograph stuck in my mind and I would often "see" it in my daydreams.
My first personal relationship with a bird did not happen until I myself was
13. We were living in Antwerp, Belgium at the time--we were political refugees
on "eventual route" to Canada--and a bitter winter was making casualties among
our roof-top pigeon population, which numbered about 30 birds, as I recall. To
make matters worse, the landlord had two cats. They lived on the first floor,
and the main floor area was their family grocery store--as neat and impeccable
as any of the stores you can find run by a Flemish family (I recall the name my
father used to call them, "The Franske Family"). We would lose about two or
three birds a month, to those two animals. Either the cat(s), or the cold,
killed the mother of a family of four living in that nestbox. Then I came home
from school one day, and Shamu was there, lying on a rag ("because it's more
comfortable than paper") behind the coal-burning stove in the kitchen. He
apparently was the lone survivor of the family in the box near my balcony, and
my mother had taken him in, "to warm him up a little" she insisted, which
immediately gave me a terrible fright.
You see, I am sorry to have to admit that we were also pigeon eaters! Not
just the cats. A frequent Sunday-lunch meal consisted of pigeon paprikas , which
is what my mother called the stew we were eating. Perhaps because of the guilt I
feel towards them, I refrain today from eating animals. So you can see why I
became afraid when I noted my mother's insistence that it was only for a
little-while. Shamu was just the right age--not too old, not too young, big
enough!
I won the battle for the life of Shamu only because there were no other
birds ready that Sunday, and Shamu by himself was not worth the trouble of
making a paprikas .
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Bird Stories (2) by Leon James
In my childhood and teens, a favorite fantasy would be to write "the
autobiography of a pigeon"--not, biography, mind you! I would imagine that I was
a wise, old pigeon who looks onto the world of people and makes commentaries
about social events. However, Richard Bach beat me to it, though I must admit I
have not finished a copy of Jonathan Livingston Seagull which I have owned for
years, it seems to me.
Now that I am a grown-up and have my own place, I am the Master of 30 birds,
smaller than pigeons, but still birds. Today, I no longer hope to be able to
write Shamu's autobiography [ see Story (1)], but perhaps these stories about
the community life of domesticated birds might encourage someone to attempt that
feat. I've found that there are many intense bird lovers on this still paradisic
Island.
Diane Nahl's grandmother, Mrs. Dixie Coke Nahl Allen, reports that in her
memory, there was a time when Kapiolani Park was the home of a large population
of free-living parakeets. Perhaps one day, they will be back! The Bird Colony
Task Group in this course is charged with the duty of getting our own aviary on
campus. Professor Robert Blanchard has informed me that space is available in
the Psychology Department's Animal Colony facilities at Snyder Hall. It costs
17¢/per bird/day to keep the aviary going, at 1978 inflation prices.
Last semester, Dr. Gordon and I (we share backyards) gave away 28 birds to
students of Psychology 222 and 397 who became interested in raising birds. We
did it on the condition that they would give us a few of their offspring to
populate our campus aviary, when it becomes a reality. As well, they promised to
keep us informed of their birds' biographical histories.
I didn't like Hitchcock's movie, The Birds . The impression was given that
birds can be really evil. Such hogwash superstition! But I did admire the
actors: those birds were superb in performing their idiotic mission in the
story. I have found my relationship to birds to be as intimate as with the many
dogs I've "owned" over the years, since childhood. But with birds, there is an
additional bonus, especially far those interested in social psychology. This is
because the dog lives inside of the house with you, while the community of birds
lives outside, in the backyard aviary or roof-top coop. And that makes an
important difference of perspective.
Bird Stories (3) by Leon James
When I was seven years old, I often took my father's 25 ducks to the river
which ran by near the edge of his week-end country house, turned into a haven
for the satisfaction of a compulsion he had for birds: besides the ducks, 49
chickens and roosters, 35 pigeons, and 6 geese. I used a long stick to drive
ducks the few hundred years to the river, across the beautiful valleys of
Transylvania--with the help of a magnificent German Shepard called Lordy, who
undoubtedly could have done the job very well by himself.
Meanwhile, in my Kailua backyard, the aviary I own jointly with Dr. Barbara
Gordon, co-author of this book, is currently underpopulated. Besides a pair of
mated cockatiels (part pied) and a family of 4 Java Rice birds, there remain
only five parakeets. I am referring to the inside residents only. There are
another 5 or 6 birds who fly around in the neighborhood and come for regular
visits to their former "home."
The visitors are members of the community who have emigrated to the
neighborhood from a little hole in our backyard aviary!
I discovered the escape route not too long ago when I noticed the
disappearance of my third bird. My first impulse was to mend the fence, but I
found myself postponing it. Two more birds left. What kept me from repairing the
tear in the thin wire mesh wall, was the escaped birds kept coming back for
visits, sometimes hanging around the outside of the aviary all day.
Instead of plugging the hole, I decided to make it larger; large enough to
allow the birds through, but not large enough to give the neighbor's cat any
ideas, especially since her pure white furry mass can often be seen sprawled, or
in a heap, on top of the wire-mesh aviary cage.
Two more birds left--an unmated, adult, male, a pied cockatiel, and one of
the little Java birds. I witnessed the departure of the cockatiel, which was
very moving. I was writing in my study, when all of a sudden I heard all three
cockatiels calling out excitedly. It seemed however, that one of the birds was
calling from above the roof! I couldn't be sure, but I rushed out in time to see
him circle around the aviary and then take off in a white flash in the sky,
pursued by the excited whistle calls of his two companions back in the cage. I
could've given my pension plan away to be able to be that bird for just one
minute.
To date, I have not seen him back, but that doesn't mean he doesn't come
around when I'm out.
Bird Stories (4) by Leon James
The life of a parakeet in a backyard aviary is organized by the community
daily round schedule. Parakeets are, above all, social animals . A parakeet can
spend its life in jail , in solitary confinement inside the little bird cage,
inside the house. But anyone who has observed the vibrant mood of a community of
parakeets living in a backyard aviary, will testify that cooped-up solitary life
for a parakeet destroys its life energy. It appears depressed, sleeps most of
the time, and is constantly in need of medical and grooming attention by the
owner. It is drugged, gassed, ventilated, bathed, trained on the finger, grabbed
by children, pampered with junk food, and scared to death when being chased back
into its little jail.
Outdoors, and with the support of the group, the parakeet lives out its life
in an adjusted relationship to its fellows, and not needing any help from the
outside, except a few supplies. This consists of fresh water, seeds, green
vegetables, perching areas, nestboxes, and that's all. Many aviaries have a
roof, but I feel that the birds prefer the sky, sun, and the rain. Knick-knacks,
playthings, bells, mirrors- are also fine, but not essential. Most importantly,
the parakeet spends its time in relationship with others of its kind.
In our Kailua backyard aviary, the birds all arise at the same time, at
daybreak Lying on my bed and returning slowly from the unconsciousness of sleep,
I am gradually awakened by the distinct sound of individual birds flooding into
my awareness. The sounds come from all directions around the house, each window
or wall bringing forth a melodious, and purely wonderful wave of emotion and
life energy. Birds sing with singular feeling, glorying in the beauty and
harmony of planetary life.
The neighborhood birds, wild and free, sound off first. Then, our birds in
the aviary join the chorus of awakening life. Once in a while, the grey male
cockatiel preempts everybody else. While still dark, the clear, unadulterated
voice sounds out in a personal song that tells the sage of his race. I know few
things in life as deeply moving as that life song, the voice of my own
ancestors.
Bird Stories (5) by Leon James
Birds of a feather flock together. That holds true, as well, in the backyard
aviary, but, there, it is not the only truth. At one time, the aviary was
populated by four species: lovebirds, cockatiels, Java birds, and parakeets. The
lovebirds have, relatively speaking, quite an "aggressive" style of interaction.
After witnessing several bloodying attacks by the lovebirds, perpetrated on
young parakeets who were too slow in getting out of their way, I decided-to
separate them from the larger colony. They got their own aviary a few yards away
where they lived and multiplied until last semester, when r gave them all away
(the pair had grown into a family of 11). The following chart summarizes some of
the differences which can easily be observed by anyone who spends time merely
watching their daily rounds.
Stable dominance hierarchy in
colony
Mother raises family even
if father deserts or
disappears
Father helps defend nestbox
Shares nestbox with another
family
Permissive weaning
Husband to more than one
mother
Young birds play with each
other
Adult same-sex friendships
Mother uses building materials
in nestbox
Husband or father helps
prepare nestbox
Father spends time
in nestbox
Mother feeds babies
Father feeds babies
Father feeds mother
Mother feeds husband
Both parents socialize children
Children return to nestbox
after exiting
Eat fruits and wild flowers
|
LOVEBIRDS
+
?
+
-
+
-
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
|
COCKATIALS
?
?
?
+
?
?
?
?
-
+
+
+
+
-
-
?
?
+
|
JAVABIRDS
?
?
+
+
+
-
+
?
+
+
+
+
+
-
-
+
+
-
|
PARAKEETS
-
+
-
-
-
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
- |
Mother sleeps inside nestbox
Father sleeps inside nestbox
Cross-species friendships
Groom each other
Allow others to perch on
top of nestbox
Sleep close to each other
on perches
Spontaneous contact with
humans
Trainable contact with humans
Quiet, non-activity periods
|
LOVEBIRD
+
-
-
+
-
-
-
+
+
|
COCKATIELS
?
?
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
|
JAVA BIRDS
+
-
+
?
+
+
-
?
+
|
PARAKEETS
+
-
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
|
In this chart, a "+" means that the behavior was definitely
observed, while a "-" means it did not occur even after extensive observations.
A "?" means that the answer is inconclusive, given insufficient opportunity for
observation. By contrasting the pattern of behaviors across the four species one
can construct a 'cross-cultura1' index of similarity. A possible formula might
be:
S = (agreements - disagreements) x 100
(agreements + disagreements)
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Bird Stories (6) by Leon James
In a previous section [ see Bird . Stories (5)], I presented an Index of
similarity between the four species of birds in our backyard aviary. The closest
cross-species overlap was found to be that between cockatiels and parakeets (53%
over- lap), and cockatiels and Java birds (47% overlap). This empirical finding
corresponds to my overall, intuitive feeling. A number of episodes come to mind
that confirm these groupings.
Alvin was a quiet green parakeet youngster who had just emerged from the
parental nestbox. Our oldest male cockatiel, gray and white with a gorgeous
yellow feathered top hat and bright red cheeks, was observed to approach the
unsuspecting Alvin, and nibble at his feet. Alvin kept getting out of the way as
best he could but the grey cockatiel kept pursuing him. At first I thought that
he was molesting the youngster and became quite alarmed. Close observation over
the next four days revealed that the exchange was obviously friendly. It became
apparent that the cockatiel was training Alvin to scratch his head! With
relentless pursuit and great patience he succeeded eventually, and from then on,
the two were almost inseparable companions. The friendship ended when Alvin
mated with a female parakeet and appeared totally involved in his new
responsibilities as husband and father.
A few weeks later, there developed another friendship between this same
cockatiel and one of the Java birds. At first, the relationship was restricted
to sleeping arrangements. The male Java bird would always sleep right next to
the cockatiel, almost touching him, while the other birds (parakeets) were kept
away at some distance (in inches). Thereafter, the Java bird could be frequently
seen during the day fishing for lice (no doubt) in the cockatiel's head region.
Since the latter is much bigger than the former, he would assume a downward
posture, lowering his head towards the Java bird; From time to time, the
cockatiel would emit a raucous sound of protest and jerk his head up as the
undaunted Java bird came up with a feather in his beak. However, the cockatiel
would recover within a second or two and go right back in there for more
cleaning. Later, when both birds mated with a female of their own kind, the two
pairs regularly cleaned each other and even attempted to share the same nestbox.
However, none of the eggs on either side hatched.
continue with (7) here
Bird Stories (7) by Leon James
I will tell you one of the biggest secrets I've discovered about (or from)
birds. Anyone who knows this about birds can tame them (or befriend them) within
minutes. (The trick also works with other animals, including people.)
It used to be a funny adult thing to do around where I grew up (in a
Hungarian-speaking part of Rumania), to say to a child that if he wants to catch
a bird, all he needs to do is to throw salt on the birdie's tail. For many years
I fantasized catching birds this way, trying to imagine it, but I couldn't
figure out how to get the salt to the tail! Later, as an adolescent, I did catch
a few pigeons another way, with an easy contraption I saw my father use. I'll
sketch it for you.
A light, flat wire mesh, or box, acts as the trap that falls on the bird. One
end is held up by balancing it on a stick which is conveniently connected to
your hand by a string. You pull the string, the stick falls, and so does the
box. Anything walking under it is trapped! Now all you've got to figure out is
how to get birds to walk under it. And that's the secret I want to tell you.
I'll call it the adaptation level secret .
First, let me tell you about where its name comes from, then I'll give some
examples in the subsequent Bird Story. I learned about the scientific concept of
"adaptation" first. Two names that I remember from my college days (I majored in
Psychology at McGill University, in Montreal, B.A. '59), are those of Harry
Helson and Jaspers, the former a psychologist (Texas University, as I recall),
and the latter a neurophysiologist (Montreal Neurological Institute, if I'm not
mistaken). Helson wrote a book having adaptation level in its title. He
catalogued a large number of situations where a person's perceptions would be
affected by whatever shapes, contours, and colors the person was used to seeing.
Exaggerated effects could be produced if you knew the person's regular world by
departing from the usual, and producing contrasts effects.
The steady and habituated world of an organism is called its "adaptation
level." (This might be analogous to "the key" a piece of music is written in.)
Jaspers recorded EEG measures ("brain waves") from sleeping cats in the lab.
When a brief noise is made, the cat's head jerks up. If the same noise is
repeated, the head no longer moves, but the ears might. The third or fourth
time, the ears no longer respond, but the EEG instruments still go wild. How-
ever, as the noise is repeated a few more times, the EEG waves decrease in
intensity, until nothing responds to the noise. The cat is fu11y adapted to the
new level of the auditory surrounds. Like us, its brain forgets about the
background noise. And this is where the secret is.
If you can turn yourself from foreground into background in the perception
of another organism, then it will automatically adapt to you and accept you as
normal. Co-presence and repetition are the two methods I know that allow you to
affect the adaptation level. Co-presence means that you arrange the environment
so that the animal cannot pursue it's normal daily round activities without your
being present. For example, you feed the animal and stay in its presence while
it eats. Repetition means that the more times you have this exchange, the more
the animal accepts you as normal background.
There are many factors to be considered (e.g., "generalization gradients'')
and I 11 tell you about them in subsequent stories. But the essential is to know
about and understand the animal's normal adaptation level and to work yourself
into that background with co-presence and repetition.
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Bird Stories (8) by Leon James
A previous story (7) refers to the scientific concept of generalization
gradients in adaptation level . This means that after a particular sensory
stimulus (noise, sight of an object, taste, touch, movement) recurs unchanged,
it quickly enters the range of perceptual normalcy or adaptation level. In other
words, it fades into the background and is apparently forgotten. Now if you
change the stimulus in some way, the adaptation to it ceases. However, if the
change is very small, it only takes one or two repetitions to re-adapt; but if
the change is large, adaptation level is disturbed and the organism now responds
with full, or near full, intensity--until the new adaptation. This business of
determining just how much or how little to change the stimulus to get particular
effects, is called by learning theorists "gradients of generalization."
The operation of "gradients" of stimulus similarity and difference, and
their effects on birds, is easily noted when observing a backyard aviary. Say
you station yourself comfortably in front of the aviary. The birds stay away
from the corner or side where you are. Clearly, your visual presence has
disturbed their adaptation level, and this is visible in their behavior
(avoidance). Less than five minutes later, the birds act like they've forgotten
you, and you now form part of their background.
You change your position to another spot three feet away. Now the same
things happen, but a little earlier, one minute instead of four. You move back
and forth a few more times and you notice that, after a while, your movement has
adapted. Now you can play a trick on them: you change your regular style of
moving--say a little faster and jerky instead of smooth. suddenly the birds
notice you again. Their activities are again disturbed or affected You can
continue your antics in front of the bird cage, demonstrating the generalization
gradient for adaptation level. Whenever you make a novel gesture or sound, the
degree-of its "notice value" will be proportional to the degree to which the new
stimulus departs from stimuli to which the birds are already habituated.
You can go inside the aviary and repeat the demonstrations. For example, if
you sit or stand without moving, the birds will soon treat you as an inert post.
If you control- your movements slowly enough, you'll be producing a smooth
generalization curve ("gradient") so that you can sneak up on them without
evoking the avoidance response. And that's a secret known to all bird lovers!
Bird
Stories (9) by Leon James
You already know the secret of adaptation level [see stories (7) and (8)].
Let me tell you a few interesting observations which show how this principle
governs much of the life of birds in a backyard aviary.
You sit in a comfortable position next to the wire mesh of the aviary,
watching the community in its regular daily round of activities. Suddenly a
motorcycle zooms by on the street. The noise disturbs the birds: they stop
eating or grooming, they freeze in position, and some individuals fly about in
apparent panic, flapping their wings against the walls, or falling off perches.
Two minutes later, the motorcycle returns from the opposite direction. You see a
similar effect on the birds, but not as strong. Those who previously panicked,
are now poised on their perch, as if tensing to take off, but holding it there.
When the motorcycle goes by the third time, only the most reactive birds take
heed and then, they too adapt. The same observations can be made about
airplanes, helicopters, trucks, lawnmowers, outboard motors, and anything else
that is unusually noisy.
Now let's move to the visual modality. After the birds adapt to your comings
and goings around the aviary, you play a trick on them. The next time you
reappear, you have a bright colored towel wrapped around you. Or a hat, or a
mask, or anything that sticks out or flaps about. Or even just holding a stick
or bright colored object. The birds have immediately noticed the change, and
show it by avoidance. I ordinarily use a brown plastic pail to pour fresh water
every day into the aviary dish and through the wire mesh. The birds are, of
course, totally adapted to this procedure, showing no concern whatsoever, even
when the falling water streams by them where they happen to stand, two inches
away. One day, I happened to grab a yellow pail of the same shape and size as
the brown one. As I approached the aviary in my usual movement, the birds
suddenly panicked and flew wildly about. The unexpected switch from brown to
yellow was too much for them. It fell outside the generalized gradient of smooth
transition.
When a visitor is around our house, I sometimes send him to see the birds,
while I stay behind, watching. In some cases the birds accept the presence of
the visitor, but in other cases, they greet him with a show of panic. All the
visitor sees, of course, is birds flying around and making characteristic
noises. But to the knowing witness, the birds are reacting and having a
particular exchange with the visitor. I've noticed that the birds show a
resistance to adaptation with some people, but to know the cause of it, would
take experimental observations. You would have to vary changes in appearance and
timing in a systematic way so as to localize precisely along which dimension the
differences occur: size, shape, color, movement, proportion, and so on. It would
be interesting to find out whether the birds notice voice quality, facial
expressions, eye movements, skin shade, and the other socially significant
stimuli that humans pay attention to, and which are imbued with emotional
significance.
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Bird Stories (10) by Leon James
I was curious about the extent to which birds are aware of the work
surrounding the aviary. Information on this can be obtained in two ways One is
to keep watching the birds, and noticing what they react to. this applies to the
shared stimulus world only. You can detect change incoming sounds and noises, as
well as see overflying birds, prowling mice, falling leaves, and what not.
The
second method is to cause some change in the environment and to control the
change along known grading For example, by moving your hands and arms a certain
distance I'll some of my observations with both these techniques.
The following chart summarizes some of the facts obtained through first
method of observing natural stimulus changes in the environment their apparent
effects on the birds.
Stimulus Change
(ANTECEDENT )
|
Behavioral Effects
(CONSEQUENT)
|
Cars, motorcycles, delivery trucks
Overflying birds (silent and
distant)
Overflying birds (calling out
and near)
Birds perching in the vicinity,
searching for seeds
Mice running about near or in food
dish
Cat on a hot wire mesh roof
Bird in distress (broken wing,
inexperienced young birds, or the
born handicapped)
New object introduced into cage
( food dish, plaything, branches )
|
Almost always adapted except for
young birds who have just emerged
their nestbox.
The cockatiels (only) often moving
their heads, adjust their eyes
and appear to peer into the sky
The cockatiels (particularly)
excitedly, using a strident whistle
All adult birds act excited in
noises and flying about (untill
Al1 birds show total asaptation
than the mice who run when a bird
starts feeding ).
Panic when the cat jumps on or
total adaptation when cat sleeps
grooms itself.
Excited involvement by parents
mild interest by others. Quick
adaptation ( first few minutes,
Studied avoidance, adapting growth
depending on object and prior
adaptation.
|
The systematic change technique was tried with body movement. I stationed
myself close to the aviary of the lovebirds, standing a few inches from the
front grid. In a minute or two, adaptation occurred. Now I displace my foot two
or three inches, keeping the rest of the body still. One of the male love- birds
is watching, keeping me carefully in his eye. He cocks his head, peering towards
my foot. Nothing moves, and he resumes grooming himself. I move my l foot back,
he stops grooming, cocks his head, and peers to the ground.
Now I raise my arm slowly. He stops grooming abruptly and moves a few inches
away (inward, on the perch). Now- I raise the other arm. The two arms together
extended, appears too much of a change. He suddenly raises himself, flaps his
wings, and acts aggressive while making a lot of noise. The other lovebirds
immediately join in.
After quiet is restored, I move my hands slowly, while the arms hang by my
sides. Similar reactions can be observed. I noticed under these conditions that
the birds' reactivity is greatly affected by background conditions. Is it
unusually noisy that day? Are the birds grooming, feeding, or actively doing
things? The following chart shows a gradient of reactivity which characterizes
the birds in our backyard aviary:
This bar graph is only approximate and needs to be checked out by systematic
observations (in that case, the graph becomes the hypothesis or prediction). It
shows the effect of an intervention such as an average size noise or novel sight
during different activities in the aviary. Thus, panic (flying about in
discoordinated fashion) is evoked by an "average stimulus change" only during
quiet perching or "sleeping." The same intensity disturbance has less of an
effect, as you go to the right on the graph. The least reactive period occurs
during an activity which I shall describe in a subsequent story (#12) and for
which I find no better label than "praying!"
Bird Stories (11) by Leon James
Life in the backyard aviary is organized by the community's regular daily
round. To understand, or be able to witness, some of the significant events
occurring there, you must first make yourself into a regular of the community
(vs. "visitor," "foreigner," "stranger"). This is surely true of any new group
you're trying to get to know (school, job, neighborhood, country). Until you've
adapted to the same level and range of change in stimuli, you cannot note
contiguities , i.e.,-antecedents "causing" consequents. Becoming a regular of
the community or group, means, foremost, knowing the members' regular daily
round pattern, and the normal a reactivity of its individuals (how they define
and perceive the state of "normalcy").
The following chart presents the activity pattern of a regular daily round
in our backyard aviary.
Notice the information contained in this graph. Highest activity levels occur
after sunrise and after the midday break. Lowest levels occur during the hot
hours around noon, and after sunset. The curve is "bimodal" and "inverted" (like
two inverted "U" curves next to each other). This circadian bi-modality can be
seen more easily by plotting a longer time curve, as follows:
One of the most intriguing phenomena I've observed about the birds is the
"praying" activity they engage in during the mid-day low. I shall describe this
activity in my next story [no. (12)].
Bird Stories (12)
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When we get to know
another individual, whether person, dog, or bird, we
gain precise information on what the individual's range of reactivity is to
changes in the environment The environmental changes include time-of the day and
level of adaptation, i.e., what is perceived by that individual as the state of
normalcy. Any variation within the normalcy range evokes strong adjustment
behavior until adaptation occurs.
In two previous stories (10 and 11) I have described the daily round pattern
of the birds in our backyard aviary. During the regular mid-day low, roughly
between 10:30 and 1:30, the birds of all four species (i.e., cockatiels,
lovebirds, Java Rice birds, and parakeets) engage in a mostly solitary activity
during which each stays in its own place and appears intensely involved in
itself. At these times, the individual birds show a low reactivity to external
stimuli, either the surrounds of the aviary, or the presence of other birds
inside (see graph in story #l0). What on earth are the birds doing?
They are not sleeping, that's for sure, as can easily be observed by the
intense twitching of their bodies, and the rhythmic up-and-down movement of
their heads. The eyes remain open, and there comes forth from inside the
articulatory apparatus, a constant noise(?) or sound that continually varies in
intensity from whispering to a strident staccato chirping. This sound is easily
distinguishable from singing, calling out, whistling, etc., all of which appear
outer-directed. Instead, this kind of chirping is non-monotonous, discordant,
and appears inward-directed. The label I use to refer to this activity is
"praying."
Of course, I do not mean this in the same sense as the praying we do
ordinarily, since I know nothing about the language of the birds, except that it
is plain to me, that it springs from a similar well, the involvement of the
ordinary self with something higher and beyond. What is the beyond for a bird?
We can only wonder, conjecture, and imagine.
Variations of the above theme occur, though without altering its apparent
significance. At times, the praying-chirping proceeds intensely as the bird
faces a backwall (an infrequent act) and moves its head up and down, touching
the wall with the beak, sometimes knocking against it. Once in a while, among
the parakeets, two individuals (especially male-male dyads) would treat each
other as if they were each "the backwall," facing each other at close quarters,
heads bobbing up and down, and beaks knocking once in a while. At still other
times--this, especially among the lovebirds--the whole community lines UD on a
perch, a11 facing in the same direction, and chirping intensely as a
dis-coordinated chorus, each body twitching and jerking, but remaining in one
spot.
Do you have any interpretations?
Bird Stories (13) by Leon James
I've described the curious "praying" activity of the birds in our backyard
aviary ( see story 12). I've alluded to the possibility of a bird language that
appears to serve a mostly solitary function, rather than an interactional
function of communication. I would like to raise here this issue of language
behavior in a more extended context than the activity of praying-chirping.
Why do birds chirp, sing, and whistle?
Biologists usually say that bird vocalizations are innately caused, though
they've also shown that particular articulatory features are influenced through
learning. For example, the ordinary pattern of singing of a particular species
can be altered significantly by exposing the bird to the songs of other species,
either directly or through recordings. As well, birds reared in isolation show
some idiosyncratic patterns.
Let us first consider the issue of communication through vocal signals. It
is very easy to note that birds typically affect each other through sound. 0ne
bird calls out, teet-too, teet-too, too-tee-too..., and another bird responds.
Silence intervenes and no one calls out. Then, one bird calls out again,
followed by others' responses. Thus, contiguity and inter-dependence are two
sure signs of communicative interaction.
As well, cross-species interaction through the vocal medium is easily
demonstrated. I whistle in the vicinity of the quiet aviary. The cockatiel
responds within a half-a-second. I wait, and he waits. I whistle again, the
response comes instantaneously. I wait, and whistle, and wait and each time, the
same result. Is this not a communicative exchange of some sort?
When the high flying frigate birds pass over our Kailua house every late
afternoon (on their way to Rabbit Island), the grey, adult cockatiel is waiting,
watching, and listening. Strident, intense calls issue forth from this vocal
apparatus. He relapses into silence when the birds disappear 0verhead. Is this
not vocal communication?
Cardinals, mynah birds, and many Other species, travel around the
neighborhood in mated pairs. As one of the birds flies off, the other follows.
How do they not lose each other? One bird calls out, and the other answers.
I often hear a type of night bird flying over the house in the dark. is easy
to localize the position of each bird since they emit a whistle call at periodic
intervals of a few seconds. No doubt this also functions to al the birds to keep
together in the darkness. Finally, when two of Our parakeets left the aviary
through the opening described in story (#3) the whole community was sounding off
in a continuous and impressive cacophony. What particularly impressed me was the
regular alternation between wild noise
and total silence, accompanied by the characteristic tense pose of a bird
"listening." As soon as the calls were returned by the now distant parakeets,
the colony broke up into wild noise for a few seconds, then waited again. This
went on for 3 or 4 minutes, in a dozen alternating pattern. There is no doubt in
my mind that this exchange helped orient the '"escaped" parakeets, who were seen
to circle far and away around the house, then returning to the aviary area where
they hung around.
Bird Stories (14) by Leon James
The pigeon occupies a definite spot in man' s great saga of domesticating
(Latin, domus = house, home) other species, i.e. of bringing them into one's
domicile, sharing space, food, work, and pleasure. Everyone. is familiar with
the pigeons of Florence (they are in movies, magazines, on postcards, and your
friends' slides), and though the dove somehow out-deserved the pigeon in God' s
scheme, having been chosen to overfly the aftermath of the Flood and report the
good tidings to Noah, nevertheless to the pigeon befell the honor of the first
air mail service in history!
Carrier pigeons , according to Webster's is "a pigeon trained to fly over
great distances back to a home point, carrying a written message fastened to its
legs; homing pigeono'' My father never raced pigeons though our Sunday mornings
were often spent at the Flea Market in Antwerp which had a special square
reserved for selling, trading, and racing pigeons. Though, as a 10- year old at
the time, I was more interested in puppies, my childhood memories are filled
with pigeon stories.
My father had had an obsessive involvement with them since his teens. In
those days of the late 1940's, the Sunday Morning Flea Market was the place
where everything was found, so it seemed at any rate, to a 10-year old, tagging
after his Dad, afraid of getting lost, pushed and stepped on by frantic mobs.
The wares were displayed on green army blankets spread out on the ground, in
boxes, on people's shoulder, car tops, tents, wooden collapsible structures, and
bicycles. Sometimes I would be left in the animal section playing with puppies
while my father went for a "quick tour." One day, totally unexpectedly, my
father gave in to my weekly pleadings, and we brought home a tiny little black
and white furry dog thing which r named Juju. It was the happiest day of my
life.
More usually, however, we brought home some pigeons. My father was trying to
breed them into chicken size, and whenever he found a large, robust pigeon, he
wanted it. Color, was the other factor. He wanted them to be large and of a
particular hue. As I think about these things today, I realize that I don't
really know what he was up to. (Fortunately, he is still around for me to ask. I
must write him a letter about it.) In fact, I am amazed how little I can say
about all those years of living with pigeons.
Things come to me as I stir up those old memories. An exciting event was
getting Our pigeons to circle around the house. To accomplish this, you have to
get them going all at the same time. Basically, it meant frightening them with
sudden sweeping gestures, with objects thrown at them, and with lots of
whistling, yelling, and carryings on. Two or three pigeons might take off and I
and on the roof next door . Or the pack would take off in a sudden explosion of
panic, scatter in the sky, each pigeon for itself. A few minutes later, another
try. Eventually everything would work out just right, and the pack of 30 to 40
pigeons, would circle around and around, in tight formation, offering a joyous
sight to behold.
Bird Stories (15) by Leon James
One Sunday afternoon, my 3-year old son brought in a baby cardinal which he
said had been lying out on the street. My first thought was to put the bird in
the aviary, which I did despite the protest of my son He was sure that if we
leave it outside, "its parents will come and take it." I pooh-poohed the idea as
a Disney story, and over the protest of everyone (including Dr. Gordon), I
incarcerated the bird.
Inside the aviary, the little wild bird settled itself 0n the front wire
mesh wall, and began a fantastic racket of distress calls. I went back to my
study. An hour later, my son rushed in to announce excitedly that the parents
had come! I rushed out and saw the little bird being fed by a pink-brown
cardinal with an impressive head-set. I rushed to the aviary and immediately
freed the little bird. It took a dizzying dive across the pool and barely made
it across the oleander fence. Two gorgeous cardinals emerged from somewhere and
were in hot pursuit. My son ran out to investigate. Later he reported that the
family lived in a tree a half a block away. I learned an important lesson that
day: birds aren't dumb!
I was trying to net a couple of lovebirds from our aviary one day to give to
someone. Trouble was they all look identical and I couldn't be sure I wasn't
breaking up a mated pair. I devised the following strategy. I placed the two
captured birds in a little cage, left the cage inside the aviary, and positioned
myself outside for observation. As soon as I had left, one of the lovebirds
immediately flapped around the little cage, eventually, settled on it, and was
having an intensive exchange with one of the trapped birds. I then knew I had
made a mistake. Returning to the aviary I freed that bird and captured another.
Then I stationed myself outside once again. This time no one seemed terribly
upset and, consequently, the two lovebirds were spirited away by our eager
visitor.
Though I know a great deal about the life in a community of our backyard
aviary birds, I am frustratingly aware of how little I know about their
psychodynamics . How do they perceive the world around them? How do they
recognize each other? Obviously they know about sex, age, species, and
individual differences, since their behavior toward one another visibly takes
these features into account. As well, they have a sense of normalcy and react to
abnormal sights and sounds. Do they have thoughts and feelings? Preferences and
anticipations? What is the content of their songs and chirpings? What makes the
nestlings come out? Does the mother know if one of the babies is missing? Do
they know about death?
Perhaps these are but idle questions, yet they persist and recur in my mind.
Isn't there a methodology we can use to investigate them?
Bird Stories (16) by Leon James
The social organization in a backyard avian community replicates many of the
characteristics of human social life. By drawing the correspondences between
them and us, we can gain an especially informative perspective on ourselves. The
attainment of this perspective is helpful in gaining a deeper understanding of
social psychological phenomena.
Consider the issue of biographic phases of life , i.e. what in social
psychology is called " developmental stages" or "age gradients " in "
socialization patterns ." The following 7 stages summarize and classify the
socialization pattern of the four species in our avian community.
EGGS
1
|
HATCHLINGS
2
|
NESTLING
3
|
NESTLING
3
|
INFANTS
4
|
ADOLOSCENTS
5
|
ADULTS
6
|
THE AGED
7 |
1. Like the fetus in utero , the bird in the egg is affected by surrounding
conditions: being rolled around, temperature and humidity changes, age at
hatching. Some eggs never hatch, dry out, are eaten by ants, or are discarded by
the parents. Selection in survival is already operating.
2-3. The survival of a hatchling appears incredibly improbable. Frail, pink,
unfeathered, weak, and blind, a bird hatchling gradually becomes stronger,
fights its way to the center Of the brood where it's warmest, and slowly but
inevitably, Opens its eyes, grows gorgeous feathers, learns to emit strident
distress calls to which the parents frantically respond. One day, attracted no
doubt by that mysterious window to the world it sees its parents disappear from,
it pokes its head out to see what it can see. It takes weeks of this look-see
orientation before the nestling youth screws up enough courage to penetrate into
that world of light, sound, and adventure.
4. Nestlings that emerge from the nestbox are greeted and acknowledged by the
rest of the community. Even before that, there is hardly an adult bird in the
community that has not poked its head inside the box, curious, no doubt, about
the sounds inside. But when the big day comes and the infant makes its first
appearance in the outside community, everyone contributes to its education.
Infant birds are physically immature and socially incompetent. They need the
permissiveness and special adjustment of the adults in the community. They
continually violate many Of the rules which govern territorial access rituals .
They blunder into restricted areas, disregard feeding lines, bump into others,
fall, get stuck, and disturb siesta time with their antics and "play." In all of
this, the parents and the other adults, remain quite patient and tolerant,
getting out of their way, giving an assist, or gently disciplining them when
they get too exuberant.
5. There comes a point when infants are no longer allowed to get away with just
anything. Each is now a lone adolescent, in business for itself, exploring life,
self, and relationship. Parents pay less and less protective attention as they
get busy with the next brood. If lucky, the adolescent finds a compatible
companion. Together, they get older, stronger, more competent; they perch next
to each other, they horse around, they groom, and touch beaks. If not so lucky,
the pre-adult grows to full membership with the status of singlehood and gets
eventually integrated into the daily round schedule.
6. There is a marked difference in the life of an adult in paired status versus
in singlehood. Young single adults have a rough time. They are always in the way
Of mated ?airs nesting, courting or feeding. They seem to have no organizing
purpose in life. They act timidly and submissively. As soon as they pair up,
however, they appear energized by their role responsibilities. The paired male
adult is treated with new respect by others, as well as treating himself with
new self-respect. Being busy and having duties gives him added status in the
community. He is allowed to court other females on the side (especially,
parakeets) though he retains primary responsibility for his mate. He also forms
friendships with other mated males.
7. Old age comes about when the adult becomes physically incapable, slows down,
and spends a lot of time perching quietly, or sleeping. When the physical
handicap is severe (e.g. inability to fly), the bird 5ecsmes a total isolate, is
ignored by others, or treated permissively as infants are. When the bird dies,
its body "disappears" within two or three days, carried away by the ants, little
morsel by little morsel. ,here appears to be no sign of acknowledgement among
the birds of the dying phase of life.
Bird Stories (17) by Leon James
When you become a regular witness to the daily round of an avian community,
you begin to watch the on-going events in a new dramatic perspective that is
fully as absorbing as T.V., but I dare say, much more informative. I'm not
knocking T.V. per se , but I find T.V. programming singularly uninteresting,
even if absorbing. On the other hand, watching a community daily round, whether
avian or human (or sciurine, or simian, Or formic, etc.). reveals cultural
phenomena and principles. Let me illustrate by sketching various simple
situations which show the socio-cultural and social psychological forces in
operation in a socially organized "space," region, or field. Let me call this
interest the sociodynamics of place .
Assume that two courting parakeets do their thing on a perch. This can be
schematically graphed in field theory concepts as follows:
Area "b" is the immediate, or proximal territory of occupation, while area "a"
is distal . These two areas are differentially charged, valued, or valenced . To
show this, consider two different situations happening in the same place, but at
different times, i.e. under different circumstances ( circum - = surrounding,
round, around; - stances = standing; to stand) or conditions. In other words,
we'll look at two different social occasions occurring in one place .
Note that situations A and B (= COURTING) contrasts with
situations C and D (= GROOMING). Let us call this first contrast, situational.
Note that the arrangement of the three parakeets is parallel: arrangement 1 (A
and C) can be written FFM, to show an adult unmated female next to the female of
the mated pair; arrangement 2, can therefore be graphed as FMF (B and D). The
second contrast is therefore the arragement contrast (FFM vs. FMF).
The contrasts involved can also be represented as a 2 X 2 contingency
matrix:
SITUATIONAL COURTING
Courting || Grooming
| FFM 1a || FFM 1b
|
| FMF 2a || FMF 2b |
ARRANGEMENT CONTRST
|
|
We thus have four occasions (A, B, C, D) and two arrangements (1, 2) giving us
the following contrasts:
{[ 1A vs. 1B ]}
{[ 2A vs. 2B ]}
|
=TWO SITUATIONAL CONTRASTS
|
{[ 1A vs. 2A ]}
{[ 1B vs. 2B ]}
|
=TWO ARRANGEMENT CONTRASTS |
Now we are ready to consider the data. What are the behaviors of the parakeets
under the four conditional contrasts? The following table summarizes my
Observations:
| TYPE OF OCCASION
|
|
TYPICAL BEHAVIORS
|
COURTING
GROOMING
|
1 FFM
2 FMF
1 FFM
2 FMF
|
F1 attacks F2 at a
no attacks on F2 at a
no attack on F2 at a
no attack on F2 at a |
This says that the second female parakeet gets attacked only under arrangement
FFM where FM are engaged in courting. This means that the territoriality valence
of area a (charge, force) varies, changes, is altered as a result of the ongoing
activity in interaction with the arrangement of individuals on. the perch . This
interaction effect can be graphed as follows:
SOCIAL OCCCASION
A. FFM, COURTING
B. FFM, GROOMING
C. FMF, COURTING
D. FMF, GROOMING
|
VALENCE OF area a
" - ', off limits
"O", neutral
"O", neutral
"O", neutral |
There are many human situations that conform to this sociodynamic principle. The
sight of a courting couple on a park bench, acts as a repellent to a polite
stroller-by; but when they are sitting, talking or reading, the other end of the
bench is neutral; the passer-by may sit there. Similar social cues function to
affect arrangement at a cafeteria table, in the library, or in class. Chart the
sociodynamic forces involved in these human situations and you'll see the
principles in operation.
Bird Stories (18) by Leon James
I have discussed in an earlier story, group differences in species
characteristic behaviors, and reported an index of "cross-cultural" similarity.
Here, I wish to give you some additional similarities and differences between
the four species populating our two backyard aviaries.
Group Differences in Nestbuilding
| |
Lovebirds
|
Java birds
|
Parakeets
|
Cockatiels
|
| Uses materials (branches, grass)
|
+
|
+
|
-
|
-
|
| Weaves nest
|
+
|
+
|
-
|
-
|
| Fills all of space in nestbox
|
+
|
+
|
-
|
-
|
| Uses same box over and over
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
| Alters nest by ejecting materials
|
?
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
| Both mates enter
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
+
|
| Mother stays in more than husband
|
+
|
?
|
+
|
-
|
| Husband assists in building
|
-
|
+
|
-
|
?
|
| Mother stays in most of her day
|
+
|
?
|
+
|
-
|
| Mother sleeps inside at night
|
+
|
?
|
+
|
-
|
LEGEND
+ indicates observed occurences for "Yes"
- indicates observed occurences for ''No"
? indicates insufficient data
? indicates probably "No"
|
|
|
|
|
Group Differences in Territorial Assertions
NESTBOX AREA:
MOTHER'S CONDUCT
LOVEBIRDS: does not allow others in vicinity except male
and Offspring (until late adolescence)
JAVA BIRDS: varies on a number of factors: during early
phases, as above; later, top of the box is
public at prayer times, siesta; entrance area
always forbidden to others (offspring weaned
gradually from entrance until adulthood,
perhaps longer).
PARAKEETS: top of the box is public, entrance, only for
the mate and infants. Additional conditions
create more complex patterns of conduct, e.g.,
during competition with neighbors and coveting
females, the mother aggressively chases the
incumbent from all vicinity, sometimes well
beyond that part of the aviary. Males and
infants are not attacked adolescent females at
times. Only mates and infants are allowed
at the entrance or inside.
COCKATIELS: all parts appear to be either public or
sharable, including inside (observed with
Java birds).
NESTBOX AREA:
HUSBAND'S CONDUCT
LOVEBIRDS: same as Mother's
JAVA BIRDS: same as Mother's
PARAKEETS: does not appear to protect nestbox; responds
aggressively against males in vicinity when
courting mother near nestbox, on perches, etc.
COCKATIELS: at times, same as Mother's; at times, chases
all birds in vicinity (excepting its mate).
(Conditions remain to be investigated.)
By studying group differences in various activity zones, you gain a deeper
understanding of the cultural forces that activate and influence individual
behavior. See if you can chart group differences among humans in your own daily
round: which activities mark sex differences? Differences in ethnicity, age,
occupation, role position?
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