Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

History HubΒ  permalink

history of birds habits

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by NormanRHood (U14656514) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  today the birds return to hinkley Ohio the buzzards
  
  how far back does bird history go back ?

  Link to this forum: history of birds habits

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by NormanRHood (U14656514) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  Link to this forum: history of birds habits

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by CASSEROLEON (U11049737) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  NormanRHood
  
  In England a particular importance is placed on Gilbert White's Natural History of Selbourne".
  
  He began keeping a garden and natural history diary in 1751, and in 1767-8 he seems to have decided to produce something for publication.
  
  It was printed in the late 1780's for the first time and by 1960, when my copy was printed, there had been over 150 editions.
  
  White was able to use existing books like Thomas Pennant's "The British Zoology" but what is considered particularly important in White is that (a) he wrote largely from personal observation- and thus spotted a number of birds that others had not noted and named, and (b) that being a batchelor clergyman he was able to try to observe and discover the Natural History of his village as a whole.
  
  He did carry out dissections on dead birds; but his work is now most valued as that of a pioneer ecologist , who sought to understand how all of Nature is interlinked. So he noted many things about the habits of birds and things like migrations and the timings of such. In the case of migrations I think he was helped by letters from a relative who lived in the South of Spain.
  
  Contrary to Darwin's later idea of "Nature raw in tooth and claw", White commented on the sociability of animals- not only within a species, but also across species. Birds he observed seemed to enjoy flocking together, and he was told of a peculiar friendship in the locality between a lone horse and a chicken. Being the only two creatures in a yard they became good friends.
  
  But he also related that someone had caught a sparrow-hawk. They took off some of its flight feathers and neutralised its beak with a cork. Then they put it in a pen with some normally passive birds- possibly pigeons- which pecked it to death. The hunter-killer killed.
  
  Cass
  
  

  Link to this forum: history of birds habits

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by somewhatsilly (U14315357) on Tuesday, 15th March 2011

  Aristotle? He wrote a natural history but hardly a twitcher.

  Link to this forum: history of birds habits

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 2.

  Posted by fascinating (U1944795) on Wednesday, 16th March 2011

  Perhaps the earliest book of birds was by Thomas Bewick, published in 1797, with pictures drawn (engraved) by the author. The observations are remarkable when you consider he had no optical aids at all (no binoculars or telescope).
  
  In America, I think it was Audubon in the 19th century who published the first book of American birds.

  Link to this forum: history of birds habits

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by Sambista (U4068266) on Wednesday, 16th March 2011

  I'm sure Audubon wasn't the first - but by the use of Double Elephant Folio paper, he was able to make all the illustrations lfie-size (though some had to be posed rather strangely).
  
  Classical authors - Pliny, Columella etc also make copious mention of birds, but since the Romans were always on the lookout for auguries (indeed many patricians were both augurs and priests) they tend to make the most of unusual occurrences rather than everyday observations.

  Link to this forum: history of birds habits

  Report message6

• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by Sambista (U4068266) on Wednesday, 16th March 2011

  Thinking a bit further, there is a reference in the Epic of Gilgamesh to Dumuzid, after he became Inannas's lover and she turned him into a bird, which seem to describe the habit of the Northern Lapwing of a "distraction display" when its nest appears threatened. Doubtful if you will find much earlier than that.

  Link to this forum: history of birds habits

  Report message7

Back to top