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From: jms@brahms.udel.edu (John Milbury-Steen)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: recognition
Message-ID: <21828@brahms.udel.edu>
Date: 31 May 91 13:48:03 GMT
Organization: University of Delaware
Lines: 31

I have been interested in the discussion about whether the birds "know
who is feeding them."

Are you sure they are not simply doing a mechanical Pavlovian response,
such as "presence of this guy" means "food is on the way"?  It may be
even more simple-minded, since they apparently will not recognize you
without the right jacket: "sight of red jacket" indicates "food is on
the way."   

Of course we all like to be loved, and it is normal to project gratitude
onto our bird friends, but a little positive conditioning could simulate
affection, could it not?

It is quite a leap from this statement:

"when the birds see my red jacket, they wait for food"

to this conclusion:

"the birds know that I am feeding them"

or even more radical conclusions:

"the birds are grateful to me and love me."

(I know this is provocative and don't mind a lot of flames.)
-- 
|   John Milbury-Steen   (302)451-2698   jms@sun.acs.udel.edu |
|   Office of Academic Computing and Instructional Technology |
|   University of Delaware                    Newark DE 19716 |
|   "Intelligence goes senile, repentence lasts forever."     |