it is a metaphor
October 22, 2019 12:15 PM   Subscribe

The white bellbird sings its pile driver tune when a potential mate is nearby. It starts facing away from her, and then whips around to blast the loudest, record-setting note right into her face. [SLNYT]
posted by ohkay (17 comments total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
 
The very last couple sentences:
“We never saw copulation — we never saw what a really good male does,” he said. “The ones we saw might have just been losers.”
the jokes write themselves
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:18 PM on October 22, 2019 [26 favorites]


Saw this on TV this morning. Wanted to slap that bird!
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 12:18 PM on October 22, 2019


From personal experience, that "tune" functions as a good wake up call. NPR was talking about this right as my alarm went off.
posted by sacrifix at 12:21 PM on October 22, 2019 [2 favorites]


A boy did this to me on the playground in first grade. At the time I was also being held prisoner inside the jungle gym by a girl who had a hold of my hair.

And here I though no one liked me...
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 12:40 PM on October 22, 2019 [1 favorite]


Extremely relevant
posted by Mayor West at 12:46 PM on October 22, 2019 [9 favorites]


Between the face-screaming and the whateverthefuck nasty thing is growing on their beaks I get the sense that female bellbirds end up having lots of conversations with their girlfriends of other species about good decision-making like hun don't you get up and go see him we talked about this I know his beak thing is big and nasty but you just say here and enjoy your drink with us and let yourself cool down.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 12:54 PM on October 22, 2019 [16 favorites]


BIG NASTY BEAKS in your neighborhood want to SCREAM AT YOU right now
posted by poffin boffin at 1:17 PM on October 22, 2019 [45 favorites]


Mating habits of New York Times writers (especially Op-Ed page and Culture section). Explains so much.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:33 PM on October 22, 2019 [2 favorites]


That bird call is completely fucking with my sense of what constitutes a "natural/in nature" sound and what doesn't. I kind of love it.

(not in my face though please)
posted by chrominance at 1:55 PM on October 22, 2019


The responses to New Scientist's tweet about the bird are gold as well.
posted by NoxAeternum at 1:57 PM on October 22, 2019 [2 favorites]


I mean, same?
posted by Young Kullervo at 2:17 PM on October 22, 2019


they found the worst pu artist the amazon has to offer
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:19 PM on October 22, 2019 [1 favorite]


(love the sound itself in all its alienness)
posted by Foci for Analysis at 2:20 PM on October 22, 2019 [2 favorites]


not all birbs
posted by The Bellman at 3:19 PM on October 22, 2019 [8 favorites]


When it's time to talk about the Birds and the Bees, this should be included in the syllabus.
posted by aws17576 at 10:08 PM on October 22, 2019


It had “this really ripped, washboard stomach,” he said. He thought it might have something to do with the loudness of their song — “if they didn’t have that kind of protection,” he said, perhaps “their guts would blow out.”

do u even scream bro
posted by eyeball at 8:14 AM on October 23, 2019 [4 favorites]


I really wonder what @birdsrightsactivist thinks of this
posted by panhopticon at 11:57 AM on October 23, 2019


« Older Working With Land   |   Humanity's Incredible Impact on the World's... Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments