what is "code" here ?

"Code" in this sense means "an understood system of symbols or behavior that conveys information to others in the group"; in this case it seems like birds are being spoken of.

So birds that gather together in the winter (many species of bird gather together in the spring, or nesting season, but not in the winter), or that vocalilze specific patterns together, may understand from this behavior that they should "exercise reproductive restraint" -- they should not breed with abandon, as the population is growing too large for the region to support.

It is not a language, but a code that is transmitted throughout the flock.

I hope this helps...

>>>they should not breed with abandon

abandon ?

is not abandon means leaving apart ?

whats the use of this word here ?

Re: what is "code" here ?


You really need to have a lot more background info in this to understand completely but "winter-roosting aggregation" is a term used to describe seasonal behaviors of some birds.

Many migrating birds will spend their summers spread out over a wide area and then, as winter approaches, migrate and collect in large colonies in a specific geographic area. For example, there is one type of tern that spends their summers spread across northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland and Northern Europe but they all collect and spend their winters on a small island off the coast of Ireland.

When they are in their summer locations they may have plenty of room and not run into very many others of their own species on a daily basis. In the winter they may be in the middle of a roosting colony of hundreds of thousands within a few square miles.

Some species adapt the number of eggs they lay (and presumably, hatch) based on the size of the winter roosting colony which is a way to self-regulate their population. If the colony is small, they may produce a clutch of 6-8 eggs. If the clutch is large they may only have a clutch of 2 or 3 eggs.

It's much, much more complex than that overall but that is the basic idea.

is it coquettish gay abandon, or is it coded language?

Abandon:

to yield (oneself) without restraint or moderation; give (oneself) over to natural impulses, usually without self-control:

to abandon oneself to grief.

What dadpad did not make completely clear is 'abandon' can be a verb or a noun.

1. verb

Forsake, leave behind; "We abandoned the old car in the empty parking lot"

2. Noun

freedom; impetuosity; enthusiasm

Lucy embarked on her new adventure with abandon.

to do something "with abandon" means to do it without restraint, without forethought, without care.

She dressed herself up with abandon before going out, just to provoke him.