I remembered a story today because a friend of mine sent me youtube video's. He told me that it reminded him of the story I shared with him so I thought I would share it with you.

Way back when, almost 20 years ago now, I was working in a bar. The bar closed at 2:00 am and I had to do clean up so I didn't get out of there until 3:00/3:30 am. I was living in Va. Beach at the time.

There is a place there call Mount Trashmore., its a park with a lake. I was traveling down the road behind it at 3:30 am on morning going home from work. There in the road was a flock of ducks, just standing there. I had to hit the brakes to keep from hitting them. So I pulled over. There in the middle was a duck that had been hit by a car. The other ducks would not leave the dead one. I just couldn't watch this happen, because I knew that there would be more killed. So I go out there by myself and try to move them. I yell, a sway my hands, nothing worked. In a few minutes other cars stopped to help. We couldn't get them to leave the dead duck. They just stayed there. Then the police were called. I guess we were causing a problem. When the police came they too tried to help the ducks. Nothing could make them leave the dead one. So finally after about an hour, several close calls with us and the ducks, the police decided to block traffic, as I and 4 strangers I have never met drug the dead duck 2 blocks back to the park where the lake was. The others followed us and we got them to safety.

That night I was blessed to be able to witness, emotions in nature. Their friend was dead and they would not leave him.
It was very moving and I was touched.

My friend sent me these 2 video's because he said it reminded him of that night. For anyone who questions if birds feel emotions...they DO!

YouTube - Bird crying over a dead friend

YouTube - Two birds crying over a dead bird

Now that was pretty sad. I would like to think they are blessed with with less emotion. Apparently not. Do you think the 1st one was a mate or a baby crying at the older bird?

I have become more aware of their emotions since my duck experience. It really was a changing point in my life.



Someone else sent me this on another forum...I think it is Mate.

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Awww that's so sad. I would also like to think they have less emotion, but things like this really make you think again.

Thats really sad. It's amazing that they do have emotions. We learn something new everyday.

Tameran, that brings tears to my eyes, I don't doubt that they have emotions, I know they do.

We lived in Virginia Beach 20 years ago near Mt. Trashmore too, we need to talk, we might have been neighbors!

I never doubt their emotions at all, but my story for doubters is:

Two years ago Dec 11 Nicky the Quaker died. For 3 days it was strangely quite here. I was sitting here at my desk when I heard Mischief (Scarlet) say " Bye Bye Nick" then the other birds started saying "bye bye" and then they all went back to normal. I guess they had to take the time to grieve and say goodbye, just like we do.

have you read the story that goes with that first video? So so sad. I think it was in Thailand? Maybe not. But the bird was hit by a truck and her mate would not leave her side. Cars blasting by and all. Sad story.

I know birds have emotions. Beast still hates me because I took Beauty away. I got the wrong advice at the time, I should have let him see her dead or better yet I should have returned her the the nest box after the vet visit and not tried to keep her in the house. In some ways I think it was stress that was her undoing. He did not get the time he needed to grieve.

I don't doubt that birds have emotion, but I do think it is in a different way to how we have emotions. I think it is more a need. I watched this programme recently about dogs, and the man was asking "do our dogs really love us?". And he came to the conclusion that it is more that they have a need. So we are the ones who feed them and look after them, therefore they need us to be there. That bird was probably confused and had a need for his mate to still be there. I still think they have emotion, don't get me wrong, I mean if you have a need something then you must have some sort of feelings for it. But my opinion is that birds feel emotion in a different way to how we might imagine.