The 'I Love You' Birds
Does a fountain send out from the same opening
both fresh and bitter water?
James 3:11
I was recently shocked and troubled by a documentary on the Discovery Channel.
Although there are many animals in nature that eat their own kind, perhaps the hardest species to observe is the verbosis rexus, also known as the 'I love you' bird.
The animal has not received much attention from the common animal media, Animal Planet and so forth. And it is easy to see why.
The birds derive their colloquial name from the sound of their call, which sounds like the phrase 'I love you'. It is not currently known by biologists what the birds use the call to communicate -only that they use their call at all times -when they are looking for a mate, looking for food, and, yes, looking to devour each other.
The creature has a history of being quite prolific, often making their calls more than other species of birds. This is thought to be the origin of their binomial name, verbosis rex which can be loosely translated as 'very wordy' or more literally 'king of words'.
The expert on the documentary had further details.
The birds seem to get along just fine -and make their calls often- when they are in a group. When they are alone, they still cry out, 'I love you! I love you!' While they are -at the same time- trying to tear each other apart.
The expert claimed that many amateurs believed their behavior was environmentally-induced, or characteristic of a certain age among their species, but the expert said the species behave this way wherever they live.
And apparently their practices are not limited to a given age either. The parents often try to eat their young, and the young try to eat their parents. There are also many documented cases where some birds also try to eat themselves.
And still they chant, almost as an Eastern mantra: 'I love you! I love you!'
Perhaps the hardest aspect to endure -even more than their seeming duplicity- is the feeling that their practices could end at any moment. When I watched the footage I kept thinking to myself, 'You don't have to make that call! You could just go on eating. It would vulgar and disgusting but more stomachable than watching this!'
He who hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up deceit in his heart.
Proverbs 26:24
4 Comments:
The hardest part about this post was the ease with which it was written.
... And in case anyone is wondering, there are no birds that behave this way. I made that part up.
We are a vicious species aren't we? Sometimes, I am disgusted to be a human being.
My grandmother used to tell me that if she were going to pick a race to hate, she'd just be done with it and hate the human race. No matter how loudly some may decry basic human goodness, the evidence just isn't there to back it up. We are a mixture of good and evil, fresh and bitter water flowing from the same source. Totally in need of salvation.
Pam
Just got back from dinner with my Grandmother. She also seems to have good advice.
I suppose it is true of all humans (and the Scriptures say as much), although I was mostly thinking of myself.
Thanks for the visit, Pam. Your honest observations are always welcome here.
It is a mark of spiritual maturity to apply the hard lessons to one's self.
It is also nice to be welcome.:0)
Pam
Post a Comment
<< Home