Richard Collins: Plenty to reflect on as roosters pass the mirror test

Roosters were shown their reflections in mirrors and then were shown images of predators. If they issued a warning call it would indicate that a cock believed the mirror reflection to belong to another rooster. But if it recognised the reflection as its own, it would remain silent

A Malines rooster in front of a mirror.  Picture: Sonja Hillemacher

Chauntecleer, the Canterbury Tales' rooster, was "in al the land of crowyng nas his peer".

As the cognoscenti will know, that means: "in all the land none could equal him in crowing". Seized by a "col-fox, full of sly iniquitee", Chauntecleer was carried off. But, by playing on the fox’s inflated ego, our hero tricked his tormentor into opening his jaws, and the clever cock escaped.