[Rupert]

Yesterday I went out to my shop, which is about 15-20 feet out my back door and down the covered deck. I leave the shop door open when I am around because I go back and forth several times a day for this or that.

Yesterday, I went out and on the cement landing in front of the shop was a young female Cardinal, and beside her a few wing feathers on the ground. She was standing straight up, looking straight ahead, eyes open and absolutely motionless, even as I passed over her and went into the shop. I pulled up a stool and sat there for at least 5 minutes and watched her, and she never blinked or even slightly moved a feather or a muscle in her body. I finally approached her and moved my hand all around her and back and forth in front of her eyes. Not a movement, not a blink. I decided she must be dead on her feet, and scooped her up in my hand, at which time she appeared to completely "awaken" and started fluttering her feathers. I put her in a deck chair I could view from inside my office, and she went back into that "hypnotic" like trance. I watched her out the window for over 10 minutes and there was no movement, no blinking, just like she was petrified.
May sound stupid, but I thought it might be a great time to get a very close macro shot of her. so I picked up my X20 and headed out on the deck. As soon as I crouched down to focus, she took off into full flight and was gone. Looked like she was flying in full form from what I could tell.

Anyone have any ideas of what may have caused this strange incident? There were no animals around, and if they had been, she would have been history long before I first saw her. My only guess is that she had a collision with a deck post or some other object that temporarily impaired her and put her into a trance?

I see a lot around here, we have tons of wildlife in our yard and the adjoining woods. but this is something new to me. A while back...in the early summer...I was at my desk and heard a loud thump on the deck just in front of my windows. Just prior, I had seen a blur in my field of vision momentarily.....I got up and looked downward and there on the deck was a squirrel that had apparently fallen from a great height from one of the tall oak trees in the deck area. I went out and he was on his side in a fetal position, eyes closed, and motionless. I came back in and finished the letter I was typing, made myself a glass of ice tea, and went out to the shop to get a shovel to bury him. The instant I picked him up, he jumped straight up and was off an running, back to the tree he had fallen from. Last I saw of him he was about 40 feet up and still going. Still, it was not as strange as the Cardinal.

Have you had this kind of experience? I'd like to hear it so I know my place isn't haunted.

Regards!

[Kozlok]

I saw a documentary once about people who inhale paint fumes on purpose (huffing), they act like that. Maybe an environmental toxin?

[arnold]

Might have flown into a window and stunned itself.

[Ratmagiclady]

It's called a 'freeze response,' Rupert: all animals, even humans, have them. Whatever caused the loss of feathers, perhaps a stunning accident with a car or nearly-escaping a predator, caused the bird to want to stay still. When you picked her up, it triggered a 'flight' (as in fleeing,) response. There's a better way to try and pick up hurt birds, that way, by the way, if you need to, ) If she didn't fly away when you put her down, she probably had her bell rung at least. And if your camera spooked her, that's a decent sign: if you approach a cardinal from lower, your lens looks like a predator's eye. (And if you want to get a shot or be friendly from close in, get your readings/focus, look away, then look back. Predators have *fixed* gazes before striking : if you want to get close to a prey bird, don't point anything eye-like at them too long. (And watch your shadow doesn't fall on them) Prey ground-dwellers have wandering eyes. Be like a deer.

Sadly, this is a kind of thing you see from animals who were nearly-roadkilled but may or may not recover. They aren't just scared, but kind of concussed.
The best thing in general to do, is place them in a safe spot if you need to, and see if they can recover.


As for stunned squirrels, bear in mind that especially juvenile ones might have a cardiac arrest if you pick them up unnecessarily. (If you have to, trust your instincts there and take your time. You probably picked up that criter very gently by human standards, but remember those little rodent brains have a sense of time that's a thousand times faster than ours when it comes to things like this. Just go even slower. It'll tend to work. )

[tclausen]

I saw a documentary once about people who inhale paint fumes on purpose (huffing), they act like that. Maybe an environmental toxin?

Am I reading you right....Are you suggesting that Rupert's visions and experiences are mere paint-fume-induced hallucinations?

[altopiet]

Am I reading you right....Are you suggesting that Rupert's visions and experiences are mere paint-fume-induced hallucinations?

Last time I heard, he was a plumber, not a painter... but who knows what he's really up to these days...

[adwb]

Or what that amazing sponsor of his has come up with now for him to do

[tclausen]

Last time I heard, he was a plumber, not a painter... but who knows what he's really up to these days...

As far as I can tell, there's no telling what Rupert is up to - except that it likely involves squirrels...

[rbefly]

Hello Rupert,
This behavior may be due to the well-documented reaction of lower animals encountering a higher-species mammal with such undeniable charm, magnetism and personal appeal that the animal is virtually overwhelmed with admiration. We see this often when younger (say, teenage) humans encounter a musical, film or sports figure, they 'swoon' or exhibit a dazed condition, usually rendered speechless or babbling senselessly.
In your example, the bird was in a state of charisma-induced shock or trance, unable to muster even the smallest motor skills and unwilling to try.
This is commonly known as the 'Rupert Factor' or 'R Paradox' , and my suggestion is to disguise your appearance and avoid all animal or human contact.
Or, it may have been stunned by unplanned contact with a solid object, for example, a window.
Ron

[altopiet]

n your example, the bird was in a state of charisma-induced shock or trance, unable to muster even the smallest motor skills and unwilling to try.
This is commonly known as the 'Rupert Factor' or 'R Paradox' , and my suggestion is to disguise your appearance and avoid all animal or human contact.

Or seeing Rupert's ugly mug just might have scared him sh**less!

[Colbyt]

Maybe Otis whupped her for some reason!?

If I discount alien stun guns, Arnold's explanation makes the most sense to me. I have seen birds fly into my full view French door and then lay or sit there for some time before taking off.

[tclausen]

Maybe Otis whupped her for some reason!?

If I discount alien stun guns, Arnold's explanation makes the most sense to me. I have seen birds fly into my full view French door and then lay or sit there for some time before taking off.

I think that you're on to something....was it ever determined if Otis was alien or terrestrial?

[panoguy]

so I picked up my X20 and headed out on the deck

That will scare any life-form capable of instinctive thought...

[Blue]

It was temporarily paralyzed because it was thinking, "oh, my, god, . . . Rupert thinks I am a squirrel!"

[Rupert]

Isn't this a great place here at PF! You can get some good information (Ratlady!) and some fun replies all in the same thread! You guys are the BEST!

Or seeing Rupert's ugly mug just might have scared him sh**less!

That sort of hurt my feelings, however, both Otis and Mrs Rupert said the poster was definitely on the right track.....
[IMG] [/IMG]

They both suggested that I wear a paper sack over my head when going outside to prevent future shock to the little animals. Otis says he already spends too much time cradling little newbie squirrels that wake up during the night complaining of a Big Ugly guy in their nightmares.
Doesn't really bother me that much, I am living proof that you can have a great life even if you are ugly as sin.....I have Mrs Rupert, my Jeep, that Audi TT, and a few dollars allowance every week. Life is good, being the Big Ugly never hampered my fun or stopped my success at doing whatever I wanted......but I am sorry if I scared the daylights out of that poor little birdie!

Best Regards!
Rupert