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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Ian Sample Science editor

Masturbation among birds is ‘natural’ and should not be punished, say experts

A cockatiel with yellow face, orange cheek patch, and gray wings perches on a wooden surface
‘I had a pet cockatiel that masturbated all the time,’ said Dr Chloe Heys, one of the study’s authors. Photograph: taviphoto/Getty Images

An investigation into acts of self-pleasure among parrots and other birds has reached a climax, with the results providing welcome relief for vets and researchers, not to mention the birds themselves.

Bird keepers are often advised to discourage and even punish birds for masturbating, but the study found the activity was more common in the wild than in captivity, with researchers concluding it is part of a bird’s natural behaviour.

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