Making Avian Connections

How do you typically act in encounters with wild animals that appear outside your home?

“I wanted to talk to the animals like Dr. Doolittle.” (Jane Goodall) 

On our third day in St. Petersburg last week, we visited Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, filled with injury protected  birds like pelicans, egrets, owls, and herons. Many of them were confined humanely in cages but a few others surprisingly roamed freely in open spaces around the facility. Know that in spite of their weakened conditions, these unconfined few lacked fear in facing human interaction. I thus found some rare opportunities to study them more closely than expected. 

Thus picking  up on some expressive non verbal behaviors of these lucky outsiders posing between the cages, here’s what I have imagined a few of them had to say to me in the photo set  below.

“ I dare you to stand on one foot like me.”

“Can you pass me a brush? I’ve got an itch on my back I can’t reach.”

“Ok, follow me. Here’s where you need to go first.”

“Please to meet you madam. Could you pass me a fish?”

“Hey Myrtle, wake up! Take a look at that guy’s beautiful shoes!”