"The Genius of Birds" by Jennifer Ackerman

[magpie]

I read this earlier this year and it instantly became one of my all-time favourites across the board. I don't recall if there is much or any budgie-specific content but it's a really great read for people with an avian interest. 

www.waterstones.com/book/the-genius-of-birds/jennifer-ackerman/9781472114365

[Loz]

That looks fascinating magpie. Thanks for flagging it.

And for the avoidance of doubt, budgies do grieve for their lost close friends, I've seen it happen.

[Marianne Marlow]

They definitely do.

My Bertie was so sad recently when his friend Blithe passed.

Roswell feather plucked after Jerry died.

Hector called for Abbie for ages when she passed.

Sept 10, 2022 8:55:19 GMT @loz said:

That looks fascinating magpie. Thanks for flagging it.

And for the avoidance of doubt, budgies do grieve for their lost close friends, I've seen it happen.

[magpie]

I mean, the book doesn't argue otherwise! I had the following passage from it saved in my highlights:

Marc Bekoff, professor emeritus at the University of Colorado, relates a story told by Vincent Hagel, former president of the Whidbey Audubon Society. While visiting at a friend’s house, Hagel looked out the kitchen window and saw a dead crow just a few feet away. “Twelve other crows were hopping in a circle around the body,” said Hagel. “After a minute or two, one crow flew off for a few seconds, then returned with a small twig or piece of dried grass. It dropped the twig on the body, then flew away. Then, one by one, the other crows each left briefly, one at a time, and returned to drop grass or a twig on the body, then fly off until all were gone, and the body lay alone with twigs lain across it. The entire incident probably lasted four or five minutes.”

[Loz]

I'd heard of this sort of thing, I suspect it was this account.

Remarkable behaviour.

[Hezz]

She’s had another out since that one, called “The Bird Way”. Equally as interesting.

There is also “Where Song Began”, by Tim Low, and Gisela Kaplan has done some interesting studies as well.

[magpie]

Sept 11, 2022 1:21:19 GMT Hezz said:

She’s had another out since that one, called “The Bird Way”. Equally as interesting.

Yeah, I purchased this the other day after spotting it and am just waiting to finish my current read to get to it, looking forward to it!

Thanks for the other recs, I'll definitely check those out.