Myths about animals
There are two main category of myths about animals. The first is that man can learn from the "noble beast". Take the quote "ape shall never kill ape" T shirt quote (or its other corollaries). It looks great but that quote needs an asterisk next to it since Man is not the only homicidal ape. Chimpanzees have been recorded attacking other chimpanzees. They also hunt monkeys for food but since we are on the topic of apes, I will let that slide. Orangutans are also in the ape killing business too..
It is the second category of myths that worry me more. The one that hints that man is too soft and and we will reach our potential when we follow the way of the animal (Read predator). For example, there is a myth that Eagles (and some other birds) kick or shove their baby birds out of the next in order to teach them to fly. Most parent birds have an instinct to take the best care of their young including helping their young to learn to fly. I know that some parents deliberately land outside the next forcing their baby birds to hop out to get the food. I also know that some species of birds do not feed their young in order to get them to learn fly and hunt for food. (Please don't use this factoid as a new idea for raising kids)
Violence is not part of the repertoire of the parent birds training instincts. I know that some species of birds will attack or push out their siblings. I accept that cuckoo baby bird usually practise fratricide, sometimes even before their siblings have hatched. (Not all cuckoo birds are brood parasites) I am also aware that eggs that do not hatch or strange or sickly baby birds maybe ejected from the nest by their parents.
To be fair, fledglings do fall out of their nest. Some of them do climb or fly their way beck to the nest. If they are small enough, the parent bird can carry them back to the nest. However, by and large most young birds do spread their wings when they are ready to fly. One must keep in mind that the nest was has space for eggs and a parent or two so the fledglings will be keen to stretch their legs (or wings) when they are big enough (or if there are space constraints.).
Lastly one must also remember that not all flying birds build their nest above the ground. These ground nesting birds are neither be flightless nor extinct.
"No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself." John Steinbeck
It is the second category of myths that worry me more. The one that hints that man is too soft and and we will reach our potential when we follow the way of the animal (Read predator). For example, there is a myth that Eagles (and some other birds) kick or shove their baby birds out of the next in order to teach them to fly. Most parent birds have an instinct to take the best care of their young including helping their young to learn to fly. I know that some parents deliberately land outside the next forcing their baby birds to hop out to get the food. I also know that some species of birds do not feed their young in order to get them to learn fly and hunt for food. (Please don't use this factoid as a new idea for raising kids)
Violence is not part of the repertoire of the parent birds training instincts. I know that some species of birds will attack or push out their siblings. I accept that cuckoo baby bird usually practise fratricide, sometimes even before their siblings have hatched. (Not all cuckoo birds are brood parasites) I am also aware that eggs that do not hatch or strange or sickly baby birds maybe ejected from the nest by their parents.
To be fair, fledglings do fall out of their nest. Some of them do climb or fly their way beck to the nest. If they are small enough, the parent bird can carry them back to the nest. However, by and large most young birds do spread their wings when they are ready to fly. One must keep in mind that the nest was has space for eggs and a parent or two so the fledglings will be keen to stretch their legs (or wings) when they are big enough (or if there are space constraints.).
Lastly one must also remember that not all flying birds build their nest above the ground. These ground nesting birds are neither be flightless nor extinct.
"No man really knows about other human beings. The best he can do is to suppose that they are like himself." John Steinbeck
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