Lovebirds
Lovebirds have been universally accepted as one of the many varied symbols of love and lovers for very many years. Consequently, they also became one of the most charming, well-known and readily recognized Valentine’s Day symbol that appears on Valentine’s Day cards and gifts alike. The symbol of lovebirds tracks its source from an old time myth which claims that all birds, but particularly lovebirds, find their true and lifelong mates on the fourteenth of February. Amusingly enough, lovers across the universe continue to hold on to that believe and cherish it in celebrating Valentine’s Day annually on the fourteenth of February.
Love is a very personal sentiment or emotion and is expressed and portrayed differently by different individuals and still differently by the same individuals under different internal as well as external circumstances. Regardless of all these differences, however, there are still some similarities common to all those who are in love—couples in love tend to huddle and cuddle and find excuses for being together and believe that they will remain like that until their dying day. And these couples in love are often referred to as “lovebirds.” The name “lovebirds” is derived from an actual species of cute little African birds from the parrot family known as lovebirds. These brightly colorful birds are always seen in pairs, thus the name, lovebirds. Much like couples in love, these lovebirds are known to sit very close to each other and they tend to keep to themselves just as young lovers seek their privacy.
The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that lovebirds could not live without their mates. Conversely, the picture of lovebirds brought to mind a vision of couples in love. And loyalty and monogamy are exactly the qualities that are ideally believed to be true of couples that are truly in love.
Lovebirds are very social creatures that are often loyal to their mates throughout their entire lives. Actually, lovebirds in the wild are one of the rare creatures that are monogamous; at least that was what has been believed of them until rather recently. In the last few years scientists discovered, quite surprisingly, that female lovebirds benefit from promiscuity by enhancing the genetic attributes of their young and a good provider is not necessarily the best sperm donor. For that reason, while the female builds her nest with her lifelong mate, she may sneak out for a few sperm-shopping sprees from another male with more desirable qualities. Scientists further discovered that this behavior often results in a gullible male lovebird unknowingly raising young fathered by another male lovebird. The prevalent lack of fidelity thus inspired scientists to coin a new term: social monogamy—living in pairs but sexually unfaithful. Oh, such human qualities!
And talking about humans and to enlighten you with a few interesting fact, another set of scientists in partnership with sociologists have studied human sexual behavior and claim that humans as a species are not naturally monogamous although black vultures, termites, and prairie voles are.
But let us leave scientists to do their methodical research and make their claims as they will. We who are in love will continue to view ourselves as loyal and monogamous lovebirds who want nothing more than to stay close together forever and ever just like the adorable little birds that we are—the lovebirds.
Have a Happy Valentine’s Day.
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