Galahs are highly socialised and live in large groups. I certainly want to believe they take pleasure in flight, and I love seeing them fly above the Brisbane River where I live but I am drawn to observe they are also probably subject to social pressure like flocking behaviour, peer and dominance establishment, and threat of exclusion. Reduction in stress hormones would be normal in an animal conforming within it's group and not being bullied or put under stress. Still there's a determinism in poo testing I like. It's pretty black and white.<p>Also, these were presumably cage bred. Not sure I'd generalise from this cohort to the wild.<p>More work to be done I'd say. The evidence of crows and others repeatedly gliding and swooping from roof ridge to eves and back again suggests they ideate beyond some sense of purpose in flight, doing repeated orbits up and down, on and on, and it looks playful. They do similar compex things not flying very clearly playing (riding frisbees in the snow), which definitely look play like, so it seems reasonable to assert the flight which simply displays an ability to fly with no other purpose is done for pleasure as much as any other reason.
Many times I've seen crows as well as smsller birds zoom along a field, getting blown straight up in the air by the updraft at the bank with the road going through it, only to fly back down and do it again.<p>Plenty of fun to be had.
Birds love to fly, just like dogs love to run, or people love to do variety of stupid shit just to amuse themself.<p>There's no need to do scientific research for that. Simple observation is good enough.
I’m reminded of this D.H. Lawrence poem:<p>Self-Pity<p>I never saw a wild thing
sorry for itself.
A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself.
Fish gotta swim
Bird gotta fly
Man got ask why why why
I suspect there is also a physiological effect here. We know that exercise in humans has effects on mood and emotional wellbeing. I would have liked to have seen the authors attempt a control where they induced an equivalent level of aerobic activity without flight (although I must admit, I have no idea how that could be achieved in practice).
Anybody watching the silly creatures (Galah's) playing and flying together can plainly see they enjoy it.<p>Its like watching children play together.<p>I'd dearly love to have some as pets, but i couldn't bear to lock any up in a cage or clip their wings. I'm just not that mean spirited.
Do humans enjoy walking?
Do birds ask themselves if humans enjoy running in groups?
This was does. It's great for stress relief and a change of scenery.
Legit question to ask and I think context is important. If we are full and want a bit of exercise its great.<p>But imagine its winter, you haven't eaten in days, you have to keep walking to find stuff to eat with no guarantees.
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