Funny GIFs Thread 3: GIFs With Extra Cowbell

[bhavv]

Anyone know what bird this is?

 

[cav scout]

It's a superb bird of paradise

 

[sophie]

Anyone know what bird this is?

^

The Birds of Paradise are absolutely remarkable creatures. There are dozens of different species of them all living in New Guinea (including many still-to-be-discovered ones) all with very unique and rather bizarre mating calls and rituals. Check out BBC's Planet Earth episode on Jungles or BBC's Life episode on birds for some glorious HD filming of some of the more interesting ones. I believe the above .gif came from Planet Earth

 

[bhavv]

I found a few youtube videos of them, I want to be one of them now QQ

 

[Monsterzuma]

is that a mating dance or some kind of combat stance where it tricks the other into thinking it's a big, big mouthed monster?

 

[sophie]

is that a mating dance or some kind of combat stance where it tricks the other into thinking it's a big, big mouthed monster?

Mating. The other bird is the female of the species. The Birds of Paradise are known for the brilliantly colored males and rather dull, normal looking females. Sexual selection at its finest.

 

[bhavv]

Im amazed at how different the male colours and appearances are, this is like Darwin's Voyage 2.0.

Checkmate creationists?

 

[bhavv]

 

[Monsterzuma]

Mating. The other bird is the female of the species. The Birds of Paradise are known for the brilliantly colored males and rather dull, normal looking females. Sexual selection at its finest.

ah, so it's a mating dance where the male fools the female into thinking he is a big, big mouthed monster who can protect her from any peril.

 

[bhavv]

Heres what that one looks like normally before it puffs up its feathers:

I just cant understand how they evolved so many different feathers and such looks just for sexual selection.

Also I found this:

 

[bhavv]

Heres another species:

... I am seduced.

 

[TheMulattoMaker]

Beautiful plumage.

 

[El_Machinae]

LEL that hamster so ded:

I expect all aircraft runways to become significantly shorter in the next 5 years. Or else, we've all suffered from a failure to imagine.

 

[Monsterzuma]

if the point of airflight was to kill rather than coddle passengers, maybe.

 

[Cutlass]

 

[bhavv]

^^ LOL

 

[bhsup]

I expect all aircraft runways to become significantly shorter in the next 5 years. Or else, we've all suffered from a failure to imagine.

I'm okay with this only if they also have Christian Slater clones at all the airports declaring, "F me, he cleared it" after every take off.

 

[bhavv]

Wow, almost as impressive as birds of paradise:

Nothing to be afraid of, they are itzy bitzy tiny too:

 

[Kyriakos]

Are they poisonous?

I recall being very frightened when i was 7 or so years old, and read about a deadly Himalayan spider, but iirc that one was mostly red in color.

I kept worrying, for a while, that it might be moved here in some way (eg in a crater), and reach me. Surely not psychological at all

 

[bhavv]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maratus_volans

'This species of spider is not venomous and poses no threat to humans.'

They use the bright coloured things on their back for a mating dance too.