Do birds have facial expressions? I’m not sure, although many bird photographers (some of whom are my favourite bloggers), capture pictures of birds looking scared or angry or surprised – even happy – but I think might be skilled photography, not the bird actually shifting its features around to express any emotion.
Again, I’m not sure.
For me, it’s this lack of facial expression that makes it difficult to ‘read’ birds. Here are some examples:
Godfrey (the gander who likes to bite me) has the same arrogant expression on his face, regardless of whether he is defending his ‘brood’, tripping over his big feet or chasing me.
The Bubbles (our turkeys) have permanently ferocious expressions even when they are giving me their equivalent of a hug, which is sort of like wing-in-your-face+beak-in-your-neck gesture.
Zaruma and Tapper (the Muscovy ducks) always look innocent and befuddled, despite their canniness.
All of the geese look sweet and needy, even when they are fighting over food.
The emus look inquisitive and intellectual, even though one of them can’t tell the difference between a camera and a cabbage.
King and the rest of the peacocks always look a tiny bit disgruntled even though they are obviously ecstatically happy here.
Okay, so many of these bird expressions seem to contradict the reality of the situation, and I have started to take a better ‘look’ at their eyes because I think this may be the key to ‘reading’ them better.
Husband’s Parkinson’s has affected the muscles in his face, so much so that he is unable to smile properly, even when he’s happy, like now – happy to be home. I never realised, until today, how much, how much, how much I miss his huge, boisterous smile.
But the birds have taught me this: smiling isn’t everything!
jmgoyder 