FINCHforum

Wow I cant believe they really got Zebs drunk! I mean everyone knows alcohol impares brain functions...

I wonder what the long term effects where...

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2 ... drunk.html

I hope any "good" (I guess I really mean definitive) findings out weigh any negative effects on the little critters!

I didn't know zebra songs were something that is/was extensively studied! That's pretty awesome.

That is kinda funny.... interesting that alcohol affects birds the same way as mammals, too. pretty serious implications for us mammals, though.

Zebra finches, because they are so common and so easy to breed and care for, are regularly studied. more is known about their song and habits than any other bird. they are the rats of the bird world as far as scientific study.

btw, Cococinnamon, I absolutely love your avatar! totally adorable!

hehe, rats of the bird world

Ria, my avatar is one of the standard ones you can pick from, so you can make it your avatar, too!

Cococinnamon wrote: I didn't know zebra songs were something that is/was extensively studied! That's pretty awesome.

Zebs themselves are quite often studied...

As memory serves they were the first bird to have its dna sequenced... the vocal and hearing centers of thier brain are studied for helping deaf/minimal hearing people... and I remember reading another article somewhere about something else about memory... but cant remember all the details (no pun intended)

Interesting stuff! I'm a big science (biology) nerd at least I try to be when I'm not busy with being a regular nerd

It would also be interesting if they would look at ability of the "drunk" birds to mate successfully. If the song is less complex, you might think that they would be less able to attract a mate, so it would be interesting to see if this holds true.

nelloyello11 wrote: It would also be interesting if they would look at ability of the "drunk" birds to mate successfully. If the song is less complex, you might think that they would be less able to attract a mate, so it would be interesting to see if this holds true.

Or maybe they could attract a mate who was also drunk.
Do birds have beer goggles too?

mayble wrote: Do birds have beer goggles too?