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Study: Birds Slur Their Songs When Drunk, Just Like Humans

Posted by samzenpus on from the how-dry-I-am dept.

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.'"

35 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. Damn right they do by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    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

  2. Reminds me of a joke... by cablepokerface · · Score: 2

    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?

    1. Re:Reminds me of a joke... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Researcher 1: Hey, I bet you ten bucks that you can't get the government to pay to get birds drunk.
      Researcher 2: You're on!

    2. Re:Reminds me of a joke... by Irate+Engineer · · Score: 1

      Researcher 1: Hold my beer and watch this!

      --

      Left MS Windows for Linux Mint and never looked back!

      Vote for Bernie in 2016!

  3. Animals love to drink by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    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.

    1. Re:Animals love to drink by jones_supa · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but if an animal enjoys a few low-alcohol fermented fruits in a year, it's quite different to drinking copious amounts of booze every weekend.

    2. Re:Animals love to drink by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Read 'Storming Heaven' (Jay Stevens)... there are plenty of species that will consume various intoxicants pass the point of just having a bit of fun... long time since I read it but examples include birds who eat berries until they literally fall out of the tree and goats that grind on crazy moss/lichens until their teeth are worn out. Over indulgence is absolutely not limited to humans.

    3. Re:Animals love to drink by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 1

      Your story would be believable, except for the fact that strawberries do not grow on trees.

      --
      The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
    4. Re:Animals love to drink by peragrin · · Score: 1

      I remember a study that watched teenage dolphins purposely find a poisonous fish and chew on it gently enough to get high off of it and then pass it to its friends. I think it was a puffer fish but am unsure at the moment.

      Basically the dolphins were getting high and doing stupid stuff.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    5. Re:Animals love to drink by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Strangely enough, the fruits of the strawberry tree aren't strawberries at all.

    6. Re:Animals love to drink by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      Basically the dolphins were getting high and doing stupid stuff.

      That's why they went 8-8 and missed the playoffs again this year.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    7. Re:Animals love to drink by rmdingler · · Score: 1
      That or perhaps a math deficiency...

      A difficulty with their division?

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

    8. Re:Animals love to drink by heldal · · Score: 4, Interesting

      When I was young and worked as a sailor, we would occasionally dip bread in etanol and feed it to seagulls. Not only were they crazy after it, but they got really drunk and wanted more, more, more. It attracted a large number of birds and they started acting more and more "human", crashing into each other mid-air, fighting, yelling etc. The behavioral pattern was very familiar indeed. There was no doubt they knew the effects of what they ate and that they were craving for it. Although they would come for normal bread as well, the interest was never as high as when we gave them alcohol.

    9. Re:Animals love to drink by jc42 · · Score: 1

      Your story would be believable, except for the fact that strawberries do not grow on trees.

      Strangely enough, the fruits of the strawberry tree aren't strawberries at all.

      And this is yet another good example of why the scientific naming system was developed. English and most other "natural" languages tend to have a lot of illogical, confusing terminology like this. The strawberry tree is called that for the dumb reason that it bears fruit that superficially resemble the common strawberry. This satisfies people who only look at outer appearance, but tends to lead to incorrect reasoning when things that aren't closely related have similar names.

      Similarly, we have a "highbush cranberry" bush in our back yard. It's a species of Viburnum that bears fruit the same size, shape and color as true cranberries. Both are about equally tart, and require some sugar to be made edible. But they're not close relatives, either, so the name can confuse people who don't understand the many problems with "plain English" names. They don't substitute directly in recipes, since the Viburnum "cranberry" contains one large seed, plus a lot of water. It works best if you squeeze the juice out and use it as a substitute for lemons or limes, with a flavor that's rather different from any citrus fruit.

      --
      Those who do study history are doomed to stand helplessly by while everyone else repeats it.
    10. Re:Animals love to drink by cusco · · Score: 1

      In the Pacific Northwest blackberries have overrun huge expanses of land. When the berries fall off and start to ferment birds of all kinds (including those that don't normally eat much fruit) will congregate and gorge themselves. It's hilarious watching a pheasant stagger to his feet, attempt to take off and crash into a bush.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    11. Re:Animals love to drink by doccus · · Score: 1

      "Low alcohol" fermented fruit? Musta not ever been in the jungle. Within a couple of really hot days it reaches 15 % w.v..

    12. Re:Animals love to drink by doccus · · Score: 1

      Ooh, and what about tibetan "Crazy honey"? The birds will fight for a bite.. and the monkeys are really adept at finding it, even to the point of getting repeatedly stung. Of course monkeys are the biggest dope and boozers in the jungle, besides elephants... Perhaps the bigger the braincase, the more the need for it?

    13. Re:Animals love to drink by doccus · · Score: 1

      You mean a real "strawberry tree"? What are the fruits like? Good?

    14. Re:Animals love to drink by doccus · · Score: 1

      Oh, and I never could figure out why the birds kept flying into my trailer a couple of months out of the year.. it also happens to be when the blackberries are overripe. Hmmm...

  4. Re:Is this really science? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Not every observation has to have a direct hands-on practical application. Everything that makes us think and find out new things about the surrounding world, is a plus in my book.

  5. Re: Is this really science? by Teranolist · · Score: 1

    You could use this information for free alcolhol tests! Just blow up a bird (like a baloon, not as in *boom*) and if it sings wrong afterwards, you're not suited for driving anymore!

  6. Ig Noble Prize by mseeger · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I nominate this study for the Ig Noble Prize.

    1. Re:Ig Noble Prize by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Knowledge is knowledge, none of it is ever useless. Example birds get drunk, as well, just like humans. OK let's check for gene matches so that we can gain understanding about genetic patterns and finding out which do what and how they interrelate. There is also fermenting rural production wastes and the impact on bird species, so for example, your cheap ass waste processing results in a drunk bird smashing my window so who should pay. I nominate the Ig Noble prize for an Ig Noble award because it promotes the idea that ignorance is bliss because it saves money and if knowledge does not generate a profit than it should be burned, along with the rest of the books that don't generate a profit, yay the stupids http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.... No knowledge when initially generated can be used, it all has to be combined with other knowledge over time to be functional.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    2. Re:Ig Noble Prize by Bugamn · · Score: 1

      Personally, I would second this nomination, not because I see it as stupid, but I see it as amusing, and I like to think that the igNobel helps to find the funny side of science.

  7. Heads must roll! by ciaran2014 · · Score: 1

    > 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
    1. Re:Heads must roll! by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 4, Funny

      > 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!

      You are forgetting the hidden costs! Transporting the birds to Passages Malibu (you can't trust them to fly there after a few drinks), rehab and counseling, getting them to meetings, etc.. If you don't take these steps we will have Sarah McLachlan commercials, singing about "Skid Row Finches"... and no one wants that!

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
    2. Re: Heads must roll! by sycodon · · Score: 1

      And $100,000 for the "researchers".

      --
      When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  8. So by Dunbal · · Score: 1

    In b4 drunk parrots become an internet thing...

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  9. Re:Is this really science? by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I mean, who cares if birds get drunk from alcohol? It has very little use in the real world.

    Can you think of no applications in the study of neurology arising from the fact that animals with fairly complex 'speech', and which the IRB will allow us to dissect, show interesting similarities to humans in their response to alcohol? Nothing, really?

  10. So you could say that both humans and finches... by RevWaldo · · Score: 1

    ...have been known the make some drunk tweets.

    .

    --
    Prisencolinensinainciusol. Ol Rait!
  11. Old news ... by PPH · · Score: 1

    ... in Britain.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  12. Re:Would be news if this didn't happen. by Khashishi · · Score: 1

    You know, the main purpose of research is to confirm what you already predict to be true.

  13. Relevant Video by Orestesx · · Score: 1

    The researchers posted a video describing the observed differences: http://www.plosone.org/article...

  14. can't fly straight by bigtreeman · · Score: 1

    hey they can't fly straight either
    (really)

    --
    Go well
  15. If the PHB Had Known by Scarletdown · · Score: 1

    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.

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.