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Study: Birds Slur Their Songs When Drunk, Just Like Humans
An anonymous reader sends word of researchers getting zebra finches drunk for science. "In the latest example of strange science, researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland got some finches drunk and watched what happened. Their main finding? Like drunk humans, boozed-up birds slur their 'speech.' For the study, the researchers gave grape juice to one group of zebra finches and an alcoholic juice cocktail to another group. The cocktail-quaffing finches became somewhat inebriated, with blood alcohol levels of 0.05 percent to 0.08 percent, according to NPR. 'At first we were thinking that they wouldn't drink on their own because, you know, a lot of animals just won't touch the stuff,' Christopher Olson, a researcher at the university, told NPR. 'But they seem to tolerate it pretty well and be somewhat willing to consume it.'"
All those fine birds singing at clubs in London slur just as much as the lads after a few* pints.
*Few, as in, officer, I've only had a few drinks
What's the difference between a Genie and a Genius? A Genie grants wishes and a Genius wishes for grants. (ba-dum *tish*)
Anyway, I'm all pro fundamental research, but who pays for a research where they are going to feed birds alcohol?
In the US alcohol is demonized compared to many european countries. But the fact is many animal species like to be drunk just like humans. There was a documentary showing elephants, giraffes and monkeys getting drunk on fermented fruits.
I mean, who cares if birds get drunk from alcohol? It has very little use in the real world.
Some Jesus freaks too, like Mormons, Jehovah witnesses, probably those god hates fags idiots too.
I nominate this study for the Ig Noble Prize.
> who pays for a research where they are going to feed birds alcohol?
Exactly! I want names! Who paid for those two thimbles of rum and a half days work from six finches!
Help build the anti-software-patent wiki
In b4 drunk parrots become an internet thing...
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Blur slur their words in the country. This is the next century.
I'm a scientist.
I don't think it's fair to dismiss the research off as useless or as wasteful expenditure of the research grant. The abstract states [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21340665]: ... . "and comment on some examples that illustrate how themes related to nutrition and addiction can be explored using this model organism".
"The songbird model is widely established in a number of laboratories for the investigation of the neurobiology and development of vocal learning. While vocal learning is rare in the animal kingdom, it is a trait that songbirds share with humans. "
In short, they're saying they might get clues on how nutrition and addition works in humans by subjecting birds to various conditions.
That's CRUEL, and I'd say blatantly immoral, to torture birds.
I hope the finches were of legal drinking age. For finches, would that be 21 years... months... days???
Anyone with a cat knows how crazy cats are to get high off catnip. This isn't even limited to alcohol. Just seems most animals enjoy the feeling of getting high.
Birds have GABA receptors in their brains. Alcohol affects it. It would be news of they didn't slur their speech. What did they expect. This passes for research?
...have been known the make some drunk tweets.
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Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
Well now I know why they are always slamming into my house. Me and my dog was sitting out when this bird just bounced off the house and fell down dead beside us. My dog looked at the bird and then up at me as if saying, "Dumbass". I said, "Yeah with 20/200 vision you would think a bird could see a house". Must have been one of those drunk birds. Don't drink and fly or you will die.
......
JWs are OK with alcohol, I think it's Mormons and maybe 7th day whatevers. Maybe a few hard core Baptists.
Have gnu, will travel.
The researchers posted a video describing the observed differences: http://www.plosone.org/article...
The neighbours had a crabapple tree which had been grafted with larger size apples (both kinds would grow from the same tree). They would pick the big apples, but leave the crabapples for the birds. In winter (Canada), the sun would ferment the crab apples when the weather warmed to near freezing. Hungry little sparrows would then eat these crabapples. And the stories about too drunk to fly are all true. You are standing there minding your business and birds are flying very close to you (poor judgement), singing the oddest songs. One little bird clearly had too much. Sitting in the snow, chirping, wings outstretched on the snow trying to stay upright. I remember calling to the bird "All right buddy. That's enough for you, you're cut off!" But a lot of the birds really enjoyed the spring-like break. I never saw any birds get sick, but I'm sure some were nursing hangovers the next day.
hey they can't fly straight either
(really)
Go well
If the Pointy Haired Boss had known about this, his scheme to breed owls for fuel for his SUV may have worked better.
And on that note, I am now going to have stuck in my head over and over, a little tune I recall my dad singing regularly back when I was a young'un.
o/~ If the ocean was whiskey, and I was a duck. I'd dive to the bottom, and never come up... o/~
Hmmm... Time to see if I can score a good copy of Rye Whiskey now on a 78 for him for his birthday that is coming up on the 12th.
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I am glad that the fine people at Oregon Health and Science University are doing such important research, and finding answers to the big questions about life, the universe, and everything.