Self-Mutilation and Sensory Deprivation

Well tonight, Pumpkinhead said that self-mutilation in birds is caused by several sensory deprivations which parrots would normally have access to in the wild. One being the soaking bath, and the other aural diversity of the most complex order. Those little bird brains, it was recently discovered, are actually much like our brains and the map of the avian brain has been rewritten. It is now understood that they are more like us humans than not.

Of course I have always said that birds are the other two leggers. So no wonder they are so amazing if you have some sort of species ego about it. I'd personally rather have wings myself with maybe hands on the end. But then, birds used to have that.

So it's very interesting how much alike birds are with people. I remember listening with awe to stories of the Thunderbird. This great black bird who rode the storms and could swoop up a man and have him for dinner. What a bird that must have been! It probably used to rule the planet!

It's said people self-mutilate to get endorphins. Do birds do that? Pumpkinhead says NO! They do it because of sensory deprivation. It's good I have just heard this for Happy is nearly fully recovered from his skin graft surgery. I was going to make him a cape very soon.

So that is what the feather shaft image means. And I also recently had a lovely talk with a departed molly lady who was a musician (she played a bell).