Waterfowl on Autopilot

• Studies of a captive wolf pack in Austria showed that when the pack lost sight of its leader, they howled in a certain way. Blood samples were taken from these wolves and tested for a stress hormone. The results showed that the howling wolves were indeed stressed. Another study involved removing the “preferred partner” of a wolf (a partner the wolf plays with and sleeps close beside). In this case, the wolf missing its partner howled much longer than for an absent leader. The researchers concluded, “the longer howls were a way of asking for companionship, rather pure expressions of stress.” The conclusion: howling for a missing leader probably is not a cry for companionship, but a cry for a return of the pack hierarchy. (The Week, Sept. 13, 2013; ScienceMag.org, Aug. 22, 2013)

• How is it that a closely packed flock of waterfowl can simultaneously land on a small body of water without colliding with one another? A Czech team of researchers set out with maps, binoculars, compasses and anemometers to find out. They studied the landings of about 5,000 birds of 14 species belonging to 3,338 flocks. Regardless of the direction from which the birds came, side-by-side birds almost always aligned themselves with the direction of the earth’s magnetic field as they landed. This suggests that individual birds land along their own glide path.

Other work has shown that tiny bits of magnetic particles (magnetite) in their beaks and/or inner ears allow them to “see” and respond to the earth’s magnetic field. To ensure that the waterfowl they studied did not look back and forth at neighboring birds to avoid colliding on landing, the Czech researchers videotaped the orientation of the heads of mallard ducks as they landed close together on a small pond. Their heads remained immobile as they looked straight ahead upon landing—as if they were on autopilot. (Hart et al, Frontiers in Zoology, July 8, 2013; The Economist, Aug.17, 2013)

• Much research is now focusing on the relationship between exposure to pesticides and degenerative neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These disorders usually appear later in life and involve the destruction of neurons, especially those involved in muscle movements.

An analysis of a hundred epidemiological studies clearly showed that pesticide or herbicide exposure can predispose individuals to Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Paraquat, which is widely used by farmers as a weed killer, increases risk for PD. If an individual is exposed for longer than eight days, there is a 3.6-fold risk increase for the disease. Exposure to the pesticides rotenone, dieldrin, organochlorine and organophosphate compounds have also been associated with degenerative neurological disorders in humans. (Science, Aug. 16, 2013; numerous other sources).

• Here are the keys to be a better boss: 1) Rein in your ego, 2) Give employees some autonomy, 3) Use carrots, not sticks, and 4) Take the weekend off. Research has shown that workers who used phones or computers for work-related activities during off-hours had less psychological detachment from the office, and were less happy and more stressed than those who put their electronics away at home. (Scientific American Mind, July/Aug., 2013)