Tuesday 31 August 2021
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9-8-2021 ARANJEUZ, MADRID - MALLARD HYBRID (MALLARD X MUSCOVY DUCK) (Anas platyrhynchos × Cairina moschatas)
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/6912-Anatidae
10-8-2021 ARANJEUZ, MADRID - ZEBRA FINCH (Taeniopygia guttata)
Zebra finches are considered to be a model organism. Scientists study them to learn about the mating behavior, social interactions, and sounds of similar birds (like the closely related estrildid finches).
The male zebra finch is capable of composing unique songs. This behavior is so interesting that scientists have studied the finch’s genome for its implications in the evolution of human speech. It’s known that mutations in important genes will produce changes and even impairments in the bird’s sounds.
The zebra finch was first described by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot in 1817.
The zebra finch was one of the first birds to have its genome sequenced.
The zebra finch exhibits some surprisingly human-like aspects in its mating behavior. For instance, there’s a clear tension between complete faithfulness and infidelity with its mate. It’s also been observed that chicks are more likely to survive childhood when the parents can freely choose their mates (as opposed to forced bonding), which may suggest an element of attraction is at play in their relationships. “Happy” pairs make for better parents. This is only a hypothetical suggestion, however, and merits further study.
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