International Journal of Comparative Psychology

In his

search for the causes of the diversity observed in living beings,including humans (zoa), Aristotle did not define them by their bodily parts and generation process only. He also payed extensive attention to nutrition and especially to character (ethos). Indeed, combined with the other three types of features, it  determines the way of life (bios) and subsequent activities (praxeis) of each species at both intra and extra-specific levels. Character in the less developed and shorter-lived animals is less obvious. Conversely, the longer-lived ones are granted "a certain natural capability in relation to each of the soul's affections" (HA 608all-13). Birds are of that kind. The present paper examines how birds are approached by Aristotle with respect to breeding and parental care in order to shed some light on the method, purpose and results of his comparative psychology.