# Pining for the fjords **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 3, 2000, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pining-for-the-fjords/1637 "2000-03-03T19:29:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@SY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SY)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pining-for-the-fjords/1637/1 "2000-03-03T19:29:00Z")
Regarding your parrot column, you state that if female parrots were shown to be as talented as male parrots at mimicry, that would disprove the hypothesis that mimicry was evolved as a sex attractant. I don’t believe that this conclusion would follow (i.e., your statement is possibly doodoo); there are certainly many instances of features or behaviors that benefit only one sex but appear in both, due to restrictions in genetics and developmental biology. One example: Why do men have nipples? It may well be that female parrots can mimic sounds because there was no easily accessible evolutionary pathway that would give that ability exclusively to males. If you want to test the hypothesis, you need to remove the speech organs from some males and note the effect on their differential reproductive success. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2000, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pining-for-the-fjords/1637/2 "2000-03-03T21:37:00Z")
The mailbag item referenced is “[Why do parrots imitate sounds? (21-Feb-2000)](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mparrot.html)”. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2000, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pining-for-the-fjords/1637/3 "2000-03-11T01:44:00Z")
SY convinced me. I thought “disprove” was a bit strong when I read the column… ---
**Author:** ![jab1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee7513/32.png) [@jab1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jab1)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2000, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pining-for-the-fjords/1637/4 "2000-03-16T20:15:00Z")
Welcome to The Straight Dope, **SY**! That was great first post! You may be on to something. I looked at your profile and glanced at your homepage. FUNNY! I know even less about wine-tasting than The Three Stooges did. You are hereby nominated for “Poster With the Shortest Name.” * * * When all else fails, ask Cecil. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2000, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pining-for-the-fjords/1637/5 "2000-03-19T05:38:00Z")
> [@](#): > > You are hereby nominated for “Poster With the Shortest Name.” SY better hope it’s an honor just to be nominated. This board has a poster named **S**. I also found that when I attempted to register **M** last December it was already taken. ---
**Author:** ![SY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71e660/32.png) [@SY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SY)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2000, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pining-for-the-fjords/1637/6 "2000-03-21T06:04:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by jab1: > \*\* > I looked at your profile and glanced at your homepage. FUNNY! I know even less about wine-tasting than The Three Stooges did. > \*\* I hope you’re not the guy who e-mailed me to tell me that it wasn’t even a little bit funny and that I must have a short wee-wee.