Birds take notice of their dead

A study by the University of California, Davis, shows some birds seem to hold funerals of a sort for their dead. Researchers at the university found when western scrub jays come upon a dead bird, they call out to one another and stop foraging, the BBC reported Saturday. The birds then fly down to the dead body and make loud calls to encourage other birds to view the dead. The results of the study show that "without witnessing the struggle and manner of death," the birds would share with one another the presence of a dead bird, the researchers wrote. Alerting others to the dead bird helps safeguard healthy birds against potential dangers in the area, researchers said.