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Aug 28, 2007

"The very idea of a bird is a symbol and a suggestion to the poet. A bird seems to be at the top of the scale, so vehement and intense his life. . . . The beautiful vagabonds, endowed with every grace, masters of all climes, and knowing no bounds -- how many human aspirations are realised in their free, holiday-lives -- and how many suggestions to the poet in their flight and song!" --John Burroughs

The Generosity of Birds

Why do we help out our relatives when one of them needs a buck or a meal, and who gains the most from such acts of generosity? A tough question, but there are hints of answers in birds. A just-published study reports new insights into the evolution of altruistic behavior. It suggests that sometimes the greatest beneficiaries are neither those giving or receiving alms, but those whose main job is the care and feeding of the neediest members of the population. Some species of birds are fed not only by the parents but by other birds sharing their territory. The helpers are usually nonbreeding males from the female's broods of the previous year - the brothers of the hatchlings they are helping to feed. Oddly enough, studies show that the one who benefits most from this arrangement is the mother.