Steller’s Jay—Photo: John Gatchet
November President’s Notes – Are You Your Favorite Bird?
by Matt McCoy
There is a maxim that a dog owner resembles their dog. Winston Churchill and his English bulldog are the classic example supporting that maxim from a looks standpoint. As a long-time golden retriever owner, I can say with confidence that the maxim doesn’t always hold true from that metric alone. However, because science leaves no stone unturned, there is evidence suggesting that people and their pooches not only look and act similarly, but their similarities deepen over time (don’t ask me what that means for my future under Rio’s influence).
Can the same be said for birders and their favorite birds? To answer this burning question, I conducted a rigorous survey of renowned Olympic Peninsula birdwatchers (15 board and committee chairs who foolishly entrusted me with their emails and confidence) asking what their favorite bird was and why. Most birdwatchers will initially balk at this question. With so many fascinating birds to choose from, how can you pick just one? Being a cruel taskmaster (not unlike a golden retriever), I insisted on just one. As my statistical analysis capabilities are suspect at best, I’ll present gut-feeling, best-guess results and conclusions (otherwise known as SWAG or scientific wild-assed guess).
Favorite bird selections were almost as diverse as our respondents (one species was chosen three times, another twice). Location was a big factor. Everyone chose birds they were likely to see here, so no penguins. Readily identifiable birds were popular. Gulls and shorebirds certainly are frustrating. Hard to identify or just not that inspiring? Surprisingly, raptors were also underrepresented, only a secondary choice for two folks. Following global taxonomy, half the selected species were in the Order Passeriformes.
There were common themes for why a bird was chosen, which might provide some insight into a selectee’s personality. Bird behaviors were a big factor. The feistiness of hummingbirds, the intelligence of corvids, the analytical Northern Flicker, the proudness of Ruddy Ducks, the quirkiness of Sandhill Cranes, and the patience of Great Blue Herons. If we can’t partake ourselves, at least we can admire their varied flight capabilities. The perfect flight of Brown Pelicans gliding over waves, a Northern Harrier’s masterful hunting on the wind, the beautiful arcing flight of a Sooty Shearwater, the Top Gun maneuverability of Steller’s Jays flying through a forest, and of course Anna’s Hummingbird acrobatics. Bird songs also captivate us, from the joyful vocalizations of Pacific Wrens and the purring calls of Sandhill Cranes to the screaming banshee wails of the Sooty Shearwater. And of course, their sheer beauty.
So, did people choose the bird they (or their dog) looked like? The one they most wanted to be? Or was there a deeper reason, did they select a bird based on major personality dimensions (neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness)? I suspect the simple answer is they chose the bird that brought them the most joy at that moment. Hopefully, our feathered friends are bringing you joy as fall sets in.
To test your knowledge of our OPAS volunteers, try matching the selectee with their favorite bird (warning, this exercise may take you back to reading a Highlights magazine while waiting in the dentist’s office). Answers will be provided in the next column sans my parapsychologist analyses.
