But They're Just Birds!?!

While I was visiting a friend in Florida, I mentioned that I had to get up early so I could go birding (potential warbler fallout at Ft. DeSoto). His significant other blurted out, "Why go to all the trouble, they're just birds?" I was speechless. I'm never speechless. Really. My brain simply could not process this statement, "...but they're just birds." I have seen an American Dipper in Oregon, a Cactus Wren in Arizona, a Vermillion Flycatcher in Texas, an Ivory Gull in Illinois (yes, Illinois), a Lesser Prairie Chickens in Kansas, and a Key West Quail Dove in Florida. All of these birds are beautiful, amazing and interesting. They are so far beyond "just birds."

Alight. If you have only been exposed to European Starlings, House Sparrows and Rock Pigeons, you might think "they're just birds." But if you really take the time to look, even these birds can be intriguing. Starlings are great mimics and their vocalizations can be quite varied. Mozart kept one as a pet for three years. And a murmuration of starlings can be quite mesmerizing, as can be seen here:

House Sparrows have their own interesting aspects as well. The British Trust for Ornithology page, "Whose the Daddy?" states; "Research shows that female House Sparrows can be attracted to several males in a neighbourhood, with 20% of nests containing one or more chicks that are unrelated to provisioning male."

The Rock Pigeon has amazing plumage variations which have led to research into the genetics behind the variation. This photo is from "Birds of a Different Color - Three Major Genes Set Feather Hue in Pigeons."

So, one is actually hard pressed to call even our most common birds "just birds." (Note: Yes, I am aware that these three species are widespread and are not protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The aggressive nature of Starlings and House Sparrows in particular make them successful competitors with our native species. But their behavior -including the reasons behind their success, make them interesting birds.)

In addition to the birds that I mentioned above, the list of intriguing birds and their behavior is long and varied - Sage Grouse displaying on a lek, Reddish Egrets "dancing," mating behavior of Western Grebes, huge flocks of migrating Sandhill Cranes and "booming" of Common Nighthawks are just some of the things that "quicken the pulse" of birders across the country.

And if you go outside the borders of the United States, the "wowness" factor can increase significantly. Perhaps the kings of beauty and intrigue are the Birds-of-Paradise. Not only are these birds beautiful, but their courtship dances are complex and approach the level of bizarre. To see these birds in action visit the "Birds-of-Paradise Project."

Wilson's Bird of Paradise*

As I write this, I'm still flabbergasted. How could anyone describe the enormous variety of birds as "just birds?" Have they ever been outside? Watched a nature special on television? Opened their eyes?  Are they aware of the millions of people that describe birdwatching their primary hobby? 

I think all birders have a responsibility to introduce people to birds. This doesn't mean they should be converted to avid birders, but they should be made more aware of the world around them. No one should ever go through life thinking of them as "just birds."

*"Wilson's Bird of Paradise" by Doug Janson - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wilson%27s_Bird_of_Paradise.jpg#/media/File:Wilson%27s_Bird_of_Paradise.jpg