New research has found that masturbation among bird species including parrots is natural, despite prevailing assumptions that it is a harmful behaviour in response to environmental factors.
Published in Ecology and Evolution, the study is the first of its kind, and challenges current approaches amongst vets and animal practitioners. Masturbation has previously thought to be caused by unnatural captive living conditions and is a damaging behaviour that requires veterinary interventions including dietary adjustments, drug and hormonal therapy, and in some extreme cases even surgery.
Led by Chloe Heys at the University of Lancashire, and co-authored by Kevin Arbuckle at Swansea University, Matilda Brindle at the University of Oxford and Tom Price from the University of Liverpool, the study compiled data from the scientific literature, as well as utilising a wealth of data from bird keepers and breeders via surveys and online communities. Data was collected on 120 bird species across 22 major bird groups, both captive and wild.
Shedding light on the evolutionary origins of this behaviour by exploring why masturbation has evolved, the study found that it is widespread among bird species, forming part of a broader repertoire of sexual behaviours exhibited in birds. This is coupled with findings that masturbation is more prevalent in wild birds and those which are reared by their parents (as opposed to humans).
The research also found that although male birds masturbate more than females, both sexes partake in the behaviour – 55% of male records involved masturbation compared to 36% of female records. Both juveniles and adults were also found to be almost equally likely to masturbate (100% and 97% respectively), and notably captive birds were also less likely to than wild birds.
It also evidences that masturbation is an important evolutionary behaviour rather than a harmful sexual behaviour caused by unnatural captive living conditions. This has important practical implications for improving animal welfare alongside potential benefits to improve the success of breeding programmes and conservation efforts, through increasing our understanding of complex mating behaviours in birds.
Chloe Heys, Senior Lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Lancashire said: “Despite assumptions that masturbation among captive birds like parrots is a result of their often-solitary living, our study finds that it is natural, healthy, and widespread across diverse bird species, even in different environments.
“Through enhancing our biological understanding of this unusual trait, our research can give owners, breeders and conservationists more clarity if birds in their care display this behaviour, by highlighting that veterinary interventions trying to stop masturbation may actually be causing more harm to birds. I hope that our research can trigger a shift in the current advice that vets give to bird owners and ultimately improve animal welfare.”
Ana Basto, Veterinary Lecturer in Exotic and Wildlife Medicine at the University of Lancashire added: “There has historically been a lack of research around masturbation in birds like parrots, despite how we’re frequently consulted on it as vets. This research is pivotal and will be a step towards achieving a more holistic understanding of why and how birds behave the way they do. I hope the findings therefore enable vets to give more accurate advice to protect birds’ welfare which remains our key priority across the industry.”
Dr Matilda Brindle, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford University and the study’s co-author says “This research adds to a vital and growing body of work highlighting that non-reproductive sexual behaviours occur right across the animal kingdom, not just in humans.”
"The fact that masturbation seems to be even more common in wild birds than those in captivity has huge implications for their welfare – especially given that folk husbandry often advises bird-keepers to discourage or punish this behaviour, sometimes even resorting to surgery and hormonal interventions. Masturbation is not a pathological or aberrant consequence of captivity, it is part of a healthy range of sexual behaviours."
To read more about this research, published in Ecology and Evolution, visit: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.73693
