(Photos: 1-- Brad, Piggy and Wiggly at Harlem Meer. 2-- Buster )
Anyone who is caregiver to and loves a dog or cat will attest to the emotional lives of their animals and to the animals distinct personalities.
I am caregiver to two wonderful, rescued dogs and five cats, each with his or hers unique characteristics.
A few days ago, I wrote about "jealousy" in geese.
A reader questioned that post and I am sure to some it seemed that I was wrongly attributing a uniquely human emotion to an animal.
While it cannot be proven that a familiar goose's seeming snub and rejection of a food treat was based upon "jealousy" over the giver first hand-feeding a mallard, I know for a fact that dogs and cats experience and exhibit jealousy as well as other "human" emotions.
One of my dogs for example, is very jealous any time she sees me paying attention to and petting one of the other pets in my home. Even if "Tina" is sleeping, she will immediately get up, walk over and interject herself between me and the animal I am petting.
Tina is very close to my other dog, Chance and indeed I often view the two like an "old, married couple." It is not a matter of the dogs disliking each other and/or not getting along.
But, if I pet or brush Chance (my Pomeranian) without doing the same with her, Tina immediately becomes anxious and demands to get her share, just like a small child sometimes gets jealous of parental attention to a sibling and demands the same.
One of my cats also seems to exhibit some form of jealousy.
When "Dolce" sees me leaving with my two dogs for a walk, she waits for any opportunity to sneak and dart out the door.
I cannot count the times I have had to bring my dogs back into the apartment and run up or down the hall stairs to retrieve my "jealous," wayward cat. -- Something very frustrating to both me and my dogs -- but apparently great fun for Dolce!
And so yes, I believe many animals experience emotions similar to humans as well as they possess unique personalities.
That applies to geese and ducks as well as dogs, cats and other animals.
To most people casually walking by a pond or lake, the ducks and geese all look the same and seemingly behave the same.
But, I am fortunate over the past couple of years to have the opportunity to get to "know" a number of geese and ducks on more than just a casual, pass-by basis.
And there is no question of their distinct and very different personalities.
The three domestic, flightless ducks at Harlem Meer, for example -- Brad, Piggly and Wiggly.
Brad is of course the "worker" and leader of the group. For the several years I have observed and known Brad, he has always come off as the serious, focused, hard-working (especially in winter), smart and wary duck.
Brad always seems to be "thinking" and planning his next move. Being flightless, he has had to plan and maneuver his actions and alliances in order to survive in an environment that at times can be very hard and challenging.
Over the years, Brad has had to endure and acclimate to harsh winters (in which most of the lake freezes over), storms, blizzards, dogs, fishing lines, human cruelty, loss of his flock mates, a constantly changing array of different birds on the lake and even waterfowl harassment.
Brad's abilities to survive and endure have seemingly transformed Brad into a very wise and especially serious and focused duck. Nothing Brad does seems to be without forethought or is done "just for fun." He is steadfast, rock solid, careful and always, always alert.
I have not had such opportunity to get to "know" Piggly and Wiggly as long and well as Brad as both Kacki Campbell flightless ducks mysteriously showed up at Harlem Meer over this past fall.
But, even in these few short months, the two ducks already show distinct personalities.
Wiggly is the "opportunist" and Piggly is the "jokester."
Wiggly grabs every opportunity for food and has figured out the best way to get it is by positioning herself directly under any bird I hand-feed whether that bird be Brad, Chrissy or even Buster.
Piggly on the other hand, is quick, impulsive, risk-taking and somewhat independent. He gets food by darting wherever it is tossed and quite literally "stealing" from other birds and then jumping away. Piggly also likes to startle and peck at geese as a way of annoying or even playing a joke on the larger, slower birds. (Hence, the term, "jokester" for Piggly.)
Geese of course have different and distinct personalities as the ducks do.
From the cautious, guarded, easily spooked, "shrinking violet" behavior exhibited by the ten shy geese who molted at Harlem Meer last summer to the bold, brash, confident and dominating behavior and personality of Buster who I commonly write of now. Each goose is uniquely different and even within gaggles, the behavior is not always identical.
Buster's mate, Brianna for example, seems the polar opposite to her boisterous, loud partner. Refined, cautious, delicate and dainty, Brianna is like an English princess compared to her mate who is more like a Texas bronco rider. (Certainly, Buster likes to "ride" the other geese!)
All geese of course exhibit certain traits notable for the species. For examples, loyalty, organization, cooperation and devotion to mates, offspring and flocks. But, even within the typical, there are the untypical geese. The ones more risk-taking, adventurous, curious and testing of family bonds.
"Every family has one," I wrote a month or two ago. That was in reference to a young goose wandering away from the family prompting two of the siblings to come, watch over and presumably bring him back to the fold.
In essence, it is not just humans experiencing "emotions" and possessing unique personality.
In my observances and experiences, all of the higher, more evolved animals do as well --and that includes geese and ducks.
To quote an old Lloyd Price rock song from decades ago:
'Cause you've got PERSONALITY!"
And indeed, they do. ;) -- PCA
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