There was a time when man started out flying small planes in difficult conditions "possibly" above max AUW in hot/high conditions and jerked the aircraft in the air, nursing it to stay airborne by feel, keeping it over the fine line of being airborne or stalling. Alternatively they felt that it didn't feel quite right on takeoff then they closed the throttles and made another plan which contributed to his survival.
Perhaps that instinct of a bird was developed. It sure ain't developing in today's rule based/procedures written to the lowest common denominator airline world.
*by man/his I mean all of humanity who have taken the reins of a aircraft and demonstrated the above mention skill. For those of you who still don't get it, I mean woman as well.
*by possibly I'm not saying I did it, but I'm not saying it never happened. However that's not the point of the post.