I mean, birds can't look in a mirror to know they're a cardinal let's say. Yet, cardinals always pair up with other cardinals, and robins with robins, and so on. They're not like dogs that just hook up with anything available, why is that?
Is it because they recognize the return of their unique call/song?
And don't just say "instinct", I feel that is just a cop-out answer for those who really have no clue, not to mention it is quite obvious that instinct is involved. I am looking for a logical answer here. Thanks!
2007-07-17 12:56:16 · 7 answers · asked by pancakes & hyrup 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
The reason for this is courtship rituals, which can vary from anything to a call/song, to fighting, to giving off a special scent, or changing colors, or just about anything. Dogs, unlike birds, have no mating call (or at least one I never heard of), so that probably explains why they may "touch" anything.
Hope this helps!
2007-07-17 13:00:23 · answer #1 · answered by allstargurl522 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The previous answers are right - but think of it this way; if you don't like the term "instinct", then think of it as that they are pre-programmed (hard-wired) to recognize and respond to the appropriate song or display that says "Hey, Baby! I'm like you! Come on up and see me sometime!" As for looking in a mirror, it's funny you should pick Cardinals and Robins for your examples - they're two of the birds most prone to fighting their own reflection in a window/mirror. Obviously they do recognize their own kind. It's the details of how that works that get interesting. I mean, even relatively very simple organisms have recognition cues and "IFF" triggers and responses.
2007-07-17 23:49:16 · answer #2 · answered by John R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry you do not want to hear that the answer is instinct...but it IS! Birds are born being able to recognize their own species song or call. There is a bird called a cowbird that lays it's eggs in other birds nests...so these babies are raised by many different species (none their own). Once they are on their own...they will flock with their own kind....they are born to know their own species song and be attracted to them although they have never seen their own kind! Many studies have been done on this...and it is simply instintual.
2007-07-17 21:21:15 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes they do make mistakes, and get together with a similar species, resulting in either no offspring or infertile offspring. But I imagine that over many years, there is an imprinting of what is needed in a mate, because the birds that did not select correctly did not get to pass on their genetic material to the next generation. This is the "instinct" answer that you wanted to avoid, but there it is. Near our home (Adelaide, Australia) we have flocks of cockatoos, particularly Galahs (pink and grey) and Corellas (white and yellow), that look very different but are similar sized. We have seen one bird which is obviously a cross between the two. It flocks with the Galahs, but is a mixture of yellow and grey.
2007-07-17 20:15:23 · answer #4 · answered by Labsci 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In environmental science, my class discussed this subject one time. My teacher explained that each species of bird has a slightly unique song/call and that birds can actually distinguish between their own songs and calls and other species'. As with many animals, birds' hearing is much more sophisticated than humans'.
2007-07-17 20:03:09 · answer #5 · answered by Danielle B 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
heat vultures have a wonderful mating song that sounds almost like an old man grunting. its wonderful to hear
2007-07-19 22:59:05 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have some song that they "chirp" so others can think they're... cool?
2007-07-17 20:39:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋