Regarding the recent Etc. column on birds:
Editor:
A bit more research into the topic of birds and brains would have made you appear a bit less of a bird brain yourself.
The term bird brain perpetuates out of ignorance. If you look into the study of animal intellect, you will find that crows hold something in common with only three other species on this planet: multiple step problem solving using self made specialty tools. The only other species capable of this, that we know to date, are elephants, apes and humans.
I suspect certain marine mammals are probably capable too, but am unfamiliar with research. So next time you make offensive remarks regarding our feathered friends, just remember that blank look coming from that murder of crows in your direction might simply be a mis-read on the part of a "bird brain."
Dale Gomez
Joppa
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I got the biggest laugh out of your tale of trying to teach a robin to talk. I once spent the better part of a morning sitting beside my grandparents' chicken yard, trying to teach a hen to speak. "Chicken. You are a chicken." Over and over again. "Chicken. Chicken. You are a chicken." I did get the bird to do a little double cluck, and convinced myself that I, indeed, had taught it to say its name, but when I called my parents over, I couldn't find the same hen I'd started with. Looking back, I'm sure they were all watching me from the porch and having a good laugh.
I hadn't heard the bit about putting salt on a bird's tail for ages. My grandmother used to tell me that, too.
My mom owned a parrot for many years. Walter never learned to talk, but he could whistle, and laugh. I do think he knew what he was doing sometimes. He'd do that toot-toot-toot whistle you use to call a dog, and when poor Muffin would come dashing into the kitchen, Walter would chuckle. It was as evil a laugh as ever I've heard. He could also do a mean imitation of a motorcycle starting up. "Cough. Cough, putt, brrp, brrp, cough. Brrrrrp." And away he'd go, fading into the distance, only to start again in a few minutes.
Thanks for an entertaining story.
Dani Rice
Bradshaw