A robin feathering his nest has very little time to rest

April 20, 2020 3:14 PM

Please enjoy this 90 minutes of Slow TV. I love how the bird tries it out for fit with so many different poses and then makes adjustments accordingly. I'm watching a few minutes at a time to relax.
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat (13 comments total)

I love this too, after watching only a minute or two. This is somehow not at all how I pictured nest-building to work.
posted by Orlop at 3:24 PM on April 20, 2020 [2 favorites]

This is so sweet! I'm going to use it as a mental health break throughout my day too! Thanks for sharing!
posted by Kimothy at 3:33 PM on April 20, 2020

This led me to a natural inquiry, which in turn led me to this delightful 1879 article on whether birds build nests entirely by instinct.

Here's a much more comprehensive modern study of the question. (ie, the sample size and species count is greater than 'these two doves I happened to have in my personal aviary.') Pull quote: "[T]hese data offer belated confirmation of Wallace’s belief that, indeed, learning (defined here as a change in an individual’s behaviour in response to previous experience with a given, or similar, stimulus; Domjan, 2014) plays a dominant role in birds’ nest building."
posted by kaibutsu at 4:03 PM on April 20, 2020 [2 favorites]

You don't have to keep showing my your butt, robin. I already love you. Sweet birb.
posted by Splunge at 4:15 PM on April 20, 2020 [4 favorites]

Very nice!
posted by LobsterMitten at 5:02 PM on April 20, 2020

For some reason, I keep my eye on this emerging weird genre, although I think it shows up in YouTube more by accident a lot of the time. I recently stumbled across this kayak tour of a random body of water which is sort of a hybrid of a number of recently emerged genres. I really enjoy the random nature scene videos. They're a great way to fall asleep.
posted by feloniousmonk at 6:51 PM on April 20, 2020 [2 favorites]

This is quality watching. Thank you.

I agree on it being a very worthy genre. Especially if you're lucky enough to have a second monitor to use for it, and being unlucky enough to be working inside.
posted by Savannah at 6:57 PM on April 20, 2020 [3 favorites]

In case people want the actual link to the video and not a link to a website that has an embedded video it's here.
posted by fiercekitten at 9:08 PM on April 20, 2020 [4 favorites]

This is basically what I look like when setting up a hammock camp, including all of the sitting and presentation of butt.
posted by loquacious at 11:20 PM on April 20, 2020 [4 favorites]

I think I'd need my ADD medicated before I can do one of these. I lasted maybe forty five seconds before I started skipping around the video.
posted by Scattercat at 1:39 AM on April 21, 2020

Did anyone else experience anxiety watching that bird on a ledge construct and unsecured nest, with the future of her entire genetic legacy blown by the wind? It was so metaphoric for the tenuous situation of life on this planet. Her dedication to that tiny place, and her care and personal investment, all that wiggling and settling. I love birds, and robin's song is something special in the spring. I think I have heard only one in southern California, here we have mourning doves, mockingbirds, bluejays, crows and ravens, pigeons, and parrots; millions of wild cats. Best to all birds!!!!
posted by Oyéah at 9:14 AM on April 21, 2020

Decided to see what my kitty Leeloo thinks of this... She is fascinated.
posted by cosmac at 9:54 AM on April 21, 2020 [2 favorites]

I got nervous when the wind started blowing so hard at the end, but it seemed pretty stable!
posted by tavella at 10:39 AM on April 21, 2020