Woodpecker or mynah? Check out your bird-type on email

E-mailers exhibit bird-like behaviour and can be grouped into 12 avian categories, says a new study by researchers at the University of Glasgow and the University of West Scotland.

The study, unveiled Thursday, says increased use of email in business has also resulted in development of "idiosyncratic patterns of emailing behaviour that can either delight or enrage".

Photo for representation purpose only (Image: www.freeimages.co.uk)

The popular categories include the "Compulsive Woodpecker", who can't resist reading emails at all hours of the day and night and the "Hibernating Poorwill", who reads emails occasionally so that senders can never rely on them.

The "Caterwauling Peacock" emails to all and sundry, claiming that people need to know what actually is grandstanding and the "Backcovering Emu" sends emails in order to be able to prove, at a later date, that information was passed on.

The "Echoing Mynah acknowledges all emails with "thanks", then "my pleasure" and "then thanks again".

The "Boorish Parrot" sends abusive or inappropriate emails and fails to understand why others get upset by them and the midnight emailer who fails to appreciate other's need for time out is the "Night Owl".

The "Robin" shows perfect email manners and does not allow emails to take over their lives.

Karen Renaud, senior lecturer in the School of Computing Science at the University of Glasgow, says though email has become a vital business communication tool, many people still have gripes about email.

"Some people find themselves checking emails all the time, even during evenings, weekends and holidays, others complain about how other people behave when using email. When we analysed all the findings we realised we could categorise email behaviour and match them to the characteristics of some well-known birds," Renaud said. - IANS