Drunken Parrots Falling From Sky 30
An anonymous reader writes "Parrots intoxicated by a mystery substance are dropping out of the sky near Darwin, Australia. From the article: 'It seems that the birds get intoxicated by something they have eaten and it renders them unable to fly and function ... they can get very sick as a result.' Around eight to ten birds a day have been brought to the hospital after falling to the ground in backyards and along roadsides. A total of 40 lorikeets are now receiving treatment."
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
And for the uninformed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npjOSLCR2hE [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:1)
Should have nailed them to the perches.
Way too many MP jokes in this one!
Re: (Score:1)
Why is the rum gone? (Score:1)
Um, this happens all the time. (Score:4, Informative)
Birds and animals love fermented berries and fruits.
In my parents' yard, there used to be this berry bush. I can't tell you what it was, but the flowers were always pretty and the berries inedible (for humans) and sometimes the yard would have drunken birds from the overripe berries.
Not news. Interesting, but not news.
--
BMO
Hangover (Score:2)
Given how brightly colored those birds are, the hangover is going to be murder. And the screeching of the other lorikeets ain't gonna help.
Re: (Score:2)
LMAO. Great response.
I guess a less funny response, is to point out that Lorikeets tend to enjoy a diet filled with fruits. Makes domesticated birds dangerous out to 5 paces. No surprise they are getting drunk from over-ripe fruits, this time of year.
Obviously.... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
The birds have caught Darwinism.
TFA:
"It happens every year around this season, they lose all balance and we find them fallen out of trees and the sky," she says. "Unless someone intervenes, they can't fly and will get picked up by predators."
Read more: http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/drunken-parrots-falling-from-sky.htm#ixzz0pviKykhI [australian...hic.com.au]
Okay I get it. The problem is that people have been intervening so birds which should get killed by predators don't and the trait is passed on. Maybe we are breeding new species of animals which try to look cute so they will be picked up by animal hospitals and enrolled in breeding programs.
Re: (Score:1)
Could this be the furry - ultimate plan?
Re: (Score:1)
They've been Loricuted.
Re: (Score:2)
They've been Loricuted.
There was this story about two birds which hung around an electricity substation. The male bird settled on one bus bar and the female on the opposite polarity bus bar. The male reached across to give the female bird a peck and....
Re: (Score:1)
There was this story about two birds which hung around an electricity substation. The male bird settled on one bus bar and the female on the opposite polarity bus bar. The male reached across to give the female bird a peck and....
...sparks flew.
Everything is drunk (Score:2)
...in Darwin.
Re: (Score:2)
Fucked up animals (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Lord of the jungle, and drunk as a lord?
And this "matters" to us "nerds" how? (Score:1, Offtopic)
And this "matters" to us "nerds" how? WTF is up with slashdot lately?
Reminds me of this: http://www.theonion.com/video/breaking-news-some-bullshit-happening-somewhere,16928/ [theonion.com]
Guess this song applies to parrots, too (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Reminds me of New Zealand Kereru (Score:2)
http://www.3news.co.nz/Motorists-warned-to-be-wary-of-low-flying-kereru/tabid/423/articleID/155234/Default.aspx [3news.co.nz]
Birds get drunk everywhere. I suppose it is an interesting story though, I covered the Kereru on my Animal Rights podcast. http://coexistingwithnonhumananimals.blogspot.com/2010/05/episode-27-drunk-kereru-and-humane-calf.html [blogspot.com]
nectar (Score:1)
I KNOW what it is ... (Score:1)