![]() ![]() The two females stood together and watched the proceedings with interest. The two male birds flew into the air and had a considerable fight with feathers flying and the earth kicked up. Up strode another equally big and beautiful male accompanied by two drab females who were walking slightly behind him. We were able to get within 6' of the bird. It was spring, mating season and my son had got very close to a big, beautiful male bird and called me over. ![]() Once I had an experience with some wild golden pheasants in Kew Gardens in London. Witness Jane Goodall's paradigm-shifting observations of the Gombe chimps. ![]() I also have a problem with scientific pronouncements of animal behaviour being taken as gospel and anecdotes considered frivolous when they actually might be even more meaningful. I always have a problem with scientists' testing of animals because we are testing them in comparison to our own intelligence not to themselves. But although it is science-based, to some extent, it is full of unproven theories and anecdotes, some of which are very charming and some which belabour the point at length. So since I liked Bernd Heinrich's Mind of the Raven and his other books on ravens, owls and geese, I prepared to meet another 5-star natural history book. I read this over Christmas mostly because a customer ordered four copies saying it was brilliant and would make great gifts. ![]()
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