funerals / burials

@ tokage - 2.05.14 - 10:05pm

1. Magpies

These little birds arent exactly what we picture in our heads when we think of intelligence, but theyre thought to be some of the most intelligent of all animals, even recognizing themselves in the mirror test(and the only non-mammal to do so).

But their intelligence goes much farther than just self-awareness. Magpies, like other birds such as ravensand chickens, are surprisingly empathetic to others of their kind. Once in a while theyll be seen engaging in elaborate social rituals that drive scientists and researchers crazy with interest.

Dr. Bekoff of the University of Colorado has studied these rituals and concluded that magpies both feel grief and hold funerals. He studied four magpies that took interest in a magpie corpse and recorded their behavior.

One approached the corpse, gently pecked at it, just as an elephant would nose the carcass of another elephant, and stepped back. Another magpie did the same thing, he read.

Next, one of the magpies flew off, brought back some grass and laid it by the corpse. Another magpie did the same. Then all four stood vigil for a few seconds and one by one flew off.

We cant know what they were actually thinking or feeling, but reading their action theres no reason not to believe these birds were saying a magpie farewell to their friend, he wrote in the journal Emotion, Space and Society.

Not bad for a bunch of squawking pests in your backyard, hm?

I saw something similar to this with some kestrels, I have probably written it out somewhere before.. * +

tokage 3.05.14 - 09:39am
thanks for the input guys... think this proves how burials nd grief, love, compassion, family have nothin to do with religion. it is natural, of nature. * +

tokage 3.05.14 - 09:43am

@ nolisto1 - 2.05.14 - 11:31pm
Burial ceremony? The first step to the nightmare scenario described in the animal marriage topic. Start using human concepts to refer to animals.

No, humans do what animals do... Animals were here before humans, so we aren't givin animal behaviour human concepts at all... Animals were doin it before humans were. From takin care to their young, havin gay s*x, livin with families, mournin their dead.. We put a human word to that what they were doin before we even existed * +

igbinx 3.05.14 - 09:46am
Aren't some ppl jst animals ? Even their display pic tells it all.hahaha * +

tokage 3.05.14 - 09:47am
i hit a nerve it seems. * +

urvoice1 3.05.14 - 09:48am

@ igbinx - 3.05.14 - 09:46am
Aren't some ppl jst animals ? Even their display pic tells it all.hahaha

Aren't all people just animals * +

tokage 3.05.14 - 09:49am
yes, but some ppl can't accept that. * +