The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals: A Book of Personal ObservationsHornaday, William T. (William Temple)
Science
The Minds and Manners of Wild Animals: A Book of Personal Observations
Hornaday, William T. (William Temple)
Animal behavior
"Many birds, including practically all members of the parrot
tribe, many of the crows and jays, as well as mynas and starlings,
learn to repeat sounds, words and sentences. Ability varies with
both species and individuals. Certain species show greater
aptitude as a whole than other species, while there is a great
difference between individuals of the same species. "Gray
parrots are generally considered the most intelligent of their
tribe, and are especially apt at imitating sounds, such as running
water, whistles, etc. I have one at home which always answers a
knock with 'Come in.' Often he furnishes the knock himself by
pounding the perch with his bill, following it with 'Come in.'
Amazon parrots are especially good at tunes, some specimens being
able to whistle complicated airs and sometimes sing several verses
in a high, clear voice. Both grays and Amazons often talk with
great fluency, vocabularies having been reported of as many as one
hundred words. Often there seems to be intelligent association of
certain acts or conditions with corresponding sentences, these
sometimes occurring with singular patness.
"Hill mynahs, of the genus _Eulabes,_ often talk as well as
parrots. The common introduced European starling often says a few
words quite clearly. I once knew a long-tailed glossy starling
(_Lamprotornis caudatus_) which shared an aviary with an
accomplished albino jackdaw. The starling had acquired much of the
jackdaw's repertoire, and the 'conversations' carried on between
the two birds were most amusing."
A raven in the Zoological Park says "Arthur," "Shut up," "All out"
and "Now look what's here" as perfectly as any parrot.
Listed in the order of their ability to learn and remember talk,
the important talking birds are as follows: African gray parrot,
yellow-headed Amazon, other Amazons, the hill mynahs, the
cockatoos, the macaws, and the various others previously
mentioned.
It is safe to assert that all migratory birds display excellent
powers of memory, chiefly by returning to their favorite haunts
after long absences.
Recognition of Persons. Mr. Crandall says there can be no doubt of
the ability of most birds to recognize individual persons. This is
seen in the smallest species as well as in the largest. He once
saw a bullfinch in the last stages of pneumonia and almost
comatose, show an instant reaction to the presence of an owner it
had not seen in weeks. Many birds form dislikes for individual
persons. This is especially noticeable in the parrot tribe. A
large male South American condor was friendly enough with two of
his keepers but would instantly attack any other keeper or other
person entering his enclosure, whether wearing the uniform or not.
With his two approved keepers he was gentleness itself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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