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Re: BAAD BCF



Re: Jeff's posting:

>     What are chickens trying to do when they flap their 

> wings when you chase them?  Are they remembering their 

> flying roots and trying to fly (and unintentionally 

> producing drag by extending thier wings), or are they
> trying to boost running speed?
>
> LN Jeff  


Yet another strategy that animals use to avoid being eaten is to  
try and look larger than they actually are. Feathers and wings  
help accomplish this nicely. A wing-flapping, loudly honking  
goose creates an impressive and imposing presence. In the case  
of a fleeing chicken, since chickens have a fairly high birth  
rate, maybe the intent is to draw the predator away from the  
flock, even at the cost of the individual's life. (And here we  
always thought "chicken" was a pejorative term!)

Kata McCarville
Colorado School of Mines