Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Birds are not angry. Humans misinterpret animals' faces because our species does use expressions for communications.
I'm fairly certain that birds have an emotional state that is equivalent to what we would call anger and they are certainly capable of expressing same.
If you look just to the left of the sidewalk and right behind the stones; you will see a sitting female. That goose isn't angry; it is just protecting a nest. Unfortunately; the nest is too close to the sidewalk. The goose and pedestrians will always be in conflict.
That Canada Goose most likely had a nest nearby. They are very protective of their nests. I've been there and done that!
Quote:
Originally Posted by fisheye
If you look just to the left of the sidewalk and right behind the stones; you will see a sitting female. That goose isn't angry; it is just protecting a nest. Unfortunately; the nest is too close to the sidewalk. The goose and pedestrians will always be in conflict.
The goose was a good protective parent. I've heard complaints and opinions from people who really
dislike them (mostly their droppings and honking early in the morning). There was a little lake
that had swans, ducks and Canadian geese. I was able to get so close to the young geese
and they took food from my fingers (gently) while mom and dad were nearby watching.
That looks like a Canadian Goose, those can be nasty, we have a lot of them around here. They will attack when their nest or babies are threatened, but will attack for other reasons as well, like just being in their space.
I'm fairly certain that birds have an emotional state that is equivalent to what we would call anger and they are certainly capable of expressing same.
Of course they do, but the muscles and bones on the faces of many animals are in a sort of fixed expression because they don't use their faces for communications anywhere close to the extent that humans do. Attributing anger to animals in this sense is just another case of anthropomorphism, projecting human feelings onto animals that aren't necessarily experiencing those feelings at any given time. Humans can do animals a disservice by asserting that their normal expression is "angry."
Of course they do, but the muscles and bones on the faces of many animals are in a sort of fixed expression because they don't use their faces for communications anywhere close to the extent that humans do. Attributing anger to animals in this sense is just another case of anthropomorphism, projecting human feelings onto animals that aren't necessarily experiencing those feelings at any given time. Humans can do animals a disservice by asserting that their normal expression is "angry."
Sure, but a goose charging after an encroaching human with head lowered and feathers ruffled is certainly not in its normal, neutral state. There isn't any anthropomorphism in attributing anger or its equivalent to a clearly agitated bird. If humans had a monopoly on anger that would be one thing, but we don't. Birds have testosterone, adrenaline and cortisol hormone responses to stressful stimuli or situations just like we do and I don't think it's a disservice or even inaccurate to characterize a goose aggressively effecting the departure of an interloper as angry.
Sure, but a goose charging after an encroaching human with head lowered and feathers ruffled is certainly not in its normal, neutral state. There isn't any anthropomorphism in attributing anger or its equivalent to a clearly agitated bird. If humans had a monopoly on anger that would be one thing, but we don't. Birds have testosterone, adrenaline and cortisol hormone responses to stressful stimuli or situations just like we do and I don't think it's a disservice or even inaccurate to characterize a goose aggressively effecting the departure of an interloper as angry.
Well, duh. We're talking about 2 different things. I was referring to the current meme of Angry Birds.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Humans misinterpret animals' faces because our species does use expressions for communications.
