Think while you go ga ga over the photos and comments...

[Equilibrium]

Oh you are getting warmer in your thoughts. The one on the ground may be a female maybe not but it's a young bird I learned. The other one is a male. I've learned that lots of animals form same sex relationships... it isn't talked about freely because God forbid we mess with anyone's steadfast belief that being gay and human isn't "natural".

[biigblueyes]

Originally Posted by Hedgerowe

The first bird ran over the second one with his car?

hahaha gulp, I mean, Hedgerowe - shhhh

[biigblueyes]

So this was a mating ritual? Except the dead one wasn't fully participating?

[Equilibrium]

You are the closest so far. Let's just say for now that the one hopping around was being opportunistic. Keep going. You've almost got it.

[bubbleoffplumb]

I thought that was what was goin' on in the third photo -
but I figured it was just me .

[NEBogger]

OMG, that dirty little bird!!

[Hedgerowe]

This is getting too twisted for me. It is almost as bad as dendrophilia.

[Equilibrium]

Here's what I learned. The dying bird has juvenile outer primary. It may or may not be a female but it most likely isn't mated since it isn't sexually mature. The other bird is a male and is described as doing what any male swallow would do to any female swallow that is "temporarily handicapped" or "available"... mate with it. The series of photos was described as being "heartbreaking to view them through the lense of human emotions". That's a necrophiliac swallow there not a swallow trying to rouse its dead companion.

[bubbleoffplumb]

it's all in the editing.
disney vs real life nature

[Equilibrium]

I looked at the series originally and had to shake my head a few times viewing the 4th and 5th photo of the male swallow attempting to "rouse" and "revive" its dead companion. That didn't jive with what I was seeing no matter what the narrative was trying to tell me. I went to my trusty google and starting searching for answers. I shared what I learned already. It was the 4th and 5th photos that did it for me. There's supposedly an educator using this series in an animal behavior class he teaches. He adds the emotion laden commentary and all students react to it the same way I originally reacted before looking close at a few of the photos and the same way Sage reacted to it even after I had started the thread out as think while you go ga ga.... This educator claimed he uses this series to teach the lesson that birds aren't little people in feathers. For me it was a sad commentary on how easily swayed we all can be even... myself included.