New research shows that masturbation among birds, including popular pet parrots, forms a normal part of their sexual behaviour rather than a problem caused by captivity. The study challenge long-held views among vets and bird owners that this activity needs medical fixes like drugs, diet changes or even surgery. Scientists from several UK universities compiled extensive data on 120 bird species and concluded that the behaviour appears widespread in both wild and captive birds. Their work, published in the journal Ecology and Evolution , suggests owners and breeders may need to rethink how they handle this in pet birds.
