Bird Dance

[3113]

Bird Dance.

There's something really wrong when a bird can dance that good. Or maybe it's just that I can't dance that good....

 

[kimbalee]

now that is just too damn funny. hahahhahah!

 

[3113]

The bird's got better rhythm than me, too.

 

[Corylea]

I love it! Thanks for sharing that with us.

A friend of mine has two parrots, and this friend told me that one of them loved to dance and sing and especially liked being sung to.

Well, whenever I try to sing, people keep telling me about something called a "key," which they believe me to be lacking. Even people who love me beg me not to sing around them.

When my friend was out of the room, I started singing to her parrot, and the parrot started squawking and bopping. When my friend came back, I described her parrot's behavior and asked if that was parrot distress behavior. She said no, it was singing and dancing.

Finally! There's one being on earth who likes for me to sing to him! (Hey, I've fallen in love for less. )

 

[NoJo]

I love it -- first time I've seen an animal that really gets music!

 

[rgraham666]

Cute.

Where's my insulin?

 

[DesertPirate]

I crawl back under my rock now

 

[redpaint]

I wonder if he gives dance lessions?

 

[desertslave]

That bird has better rhythm than some of the band!

 

[Tom Collins]

PMSL

Did a damned fine Metallica fan head-basher imitation at the end, too.

 

[TE999]

Yeah. But can it do the Chicken Dance?

I know, wrong species.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

That really is incredible, that animals can respond to rhythm like that. He's not just reacting to the noise, he's actually dancing, moving in concert to the regularity of the beat. What cause would he have to do that in nature? What survival value would that have for him? (Yeah, I know: mating purposes. Chicks love a good dancer.)

Makes you think about the importance of rhythm in nature and yet how few organisms have any natural response to it.

 

[NoJo]

Doc, I watched this video over and over asking myself the same question. The sceptic in me says they overdubbed the music, or chose just the right tempo etc. But I like to think it's because the cockatoo is actually black.

 

[impressive]

Sings better'n me, too.

 

[Corylea]

What cause would he have to do that in nature? What survival value would that have for him?

My friend with the parrots says that birds hang out in flocks in nature and that coordinating the flock is important. Since birds communicate through sound more than most animals do, it makes sense to me that a sense of rhythm would help in coordinating the flock among creatures who relate strongly to sound.

When my friend has her parrots in the living room, it's a very noisy place. She says that lots of loud squawking means that the flock is happy and relaxed; they shut up when there are predators in the vicinity. So she speaks loudly to her birds to make them happy, and they squawk loudly back. Part of the time, I laugh like a normal person, but sometimes I have a very loud, raucous laugh that just sort of erupts out of me (I've been tracked through large buildings by my laugh -- seriously). When I laugh like that, the birds are really, really sure that there's no predator around , and they join in! It's very cool.

(Yeah, I know: mating purposes. Chicks love a good dancer.)

*laugh* I know that those of us on this forum often having mating on the brain, but not EVERYthing is for mating purposes. Keeping the flock together helps to keep them safe from predators when they're on the ground, and it makes it easier for the non-leaders to fly, when they're in the air.

 

[john-the-author]

That cracks me up EVERY time I see it. I love the little feet going all the way up.

I used to have conures (they look like small parrots) and they loved singing and dancing, though not nearly so well as the cockatoo here.