It is a mistake to think of #nature as warm and cuddly. Many, perhaps most, #violent encounters between #humans and #wildlife are the result of the former treating the latter as #Disney characters.
One reason “#birds are #dinosaurs” made immediate sense to me was a vivid childhood memory: when I was about ten, I thought some #goslings were cute and wanted to pet them. #Mother#Goose had other ideas. Yeah, don’t do that.
It is equally a mistake to assume nature is All #Killing, All The Time. Fighting takes a lot of energy, and wild animals—including our own distant ancestors—are in constant peril of #starvation. Even a minor #injury can lead to #infection and #death.
Violence is a tool of survival, to be sure, whether in #predation, self-defense, or squabbles over #territory and #mating. Unnecessary violence is a quick road to #extinction. Most animals would rather do something else, when they can.
So before you fall back on “red in tooth and claw” as a default, look for other explanations. They’re usually more interesting anyway.
This handbook provides up-to-date summaries of theories and empirical evidence of the science of human mating strategies. It includes major sections on theories of human mating; mate selection and mate attraction; mate competition; sexual conflict in mating; human pair bonding; the endocrinology of mating; and mating in the modern world.
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Have you ever seen a bird that looks and sounds like Groucho Marx?
The Willow Ptarmigan is an #Arctic grouse that blends into its surroundings with its camouflaged coat. It showcases interesting behaviors, including being unbothered by #humans, sporting #red eyebrows during #breeding, and making expressive #sounds. They share similar traits with lesser prairie-#chickens in their #mating displays.