Jun 4, 2026 11:38 PM
(This post was last modified: Jun 4, 2026 11:40 PM by C C.)
https://refractor.io/biology/birds-mastu...important/
INTRO: For captive animals, engaging in natural behavior is a pillar of the animal welfare framework. But when it comes to sex, one important behavior has been largely ignored, and sometimes even punished: masturbation.
Solo sex is surprisingly common across the animal kingdom. It is well documented in primates. Tortoises are surprisingly vocal during their solo lovemaking endeavors, if not very graceful. Camels masturbate by rubbing their penises in the sand, and porcupines make inventive use of all sorts of objects.
Our new study could change how other scientists view masturbation in birds and improve their welfare. Masturbation also seems to be common in birds. A quick internet search brings up an abundance of video clips on social media and dedicated posts on bird-keeping forums, largely from worried or bemused hobbyist bird keepers.
It has often been treated as an abnormal problem behavior in captive birds (particularly parrots). Folklore husbandry has assumed it is the undesirable outcome of stress, bad health or poor environment. Bird keepers often therefore discourage masturbation via punishment or veterinary interventions such as diet or care changes and, sometimes, even drugs and surgery.
Despite the welfare implications, masturbation in birds had been largely unexplored by the scientific community.
We set out to change that by investigating the distribution and evolutionary history of masturbation in birds for the first time. We studied 120 species of bird across 22 major groups, gathering data from the scattered scientific literature, online reports and community forums, and surveys of bird experts.
Our study found that masturbation is widespread across birds with a strong evolutionary history, meaning that it’s an ancient trait probably similar in closely related species. Although we found more records of masturbation in male birds, it occurs in both sexes and across all age groups.
Solo sex also seems to be linked to species that mate with multiple partners, supporting the idea that it might help to increase reproductive success when there is a high degree of competition over fertilization. For instance, in males it may flush out old sperm to leave newer (better-condition) sperm for mating. In females, it may increase sexual arousal to help with sneak mating with males other than their partner... (MORE - details)
INTRO: For captive animals, engaging in natural behavior is a pillar of the animal welfare framework. But when it comes to sex, one important behavior has been largely ignored, and sometimes even punished: masturbation.
Solo sex is surprisingly common across the animal kingdom. It is well documented in primates. Tortoises are surprisingly vocal during their solo lovemaking endeavors, if not very graceful. Camels masturbate by rubbing their penises in the sand, and porcupines make inventive use of all sorts of objects.
Our new study could change how other scientists view masturbation in birds and improve their welfare. Masturbation also seems to be common in birds. A quick internet search brings up an abundance of video clips on social media and dedicated posts on bird-keeping forums, largely from worried or bemused hobbyist bird keepers.
It has often been treated as an abnormal problem behavior in captive birds (particularly parrots). Folklore husbandry has assumed it is the undesirable outcome of stress, bad health or poor environment. Bird keepers often therefore discourage masturbation via punishment or veterinary interventions such as diet or care changes and, sometimes, even drugs and surgery.
Despite the welfare implications, masturbation in birds had been largely unexplored by the scientific community.
We set out to change that by investigating the distribution and evolutionary history of masturbation in birds for the first time. We studied 120 species of bird across 22 major groups, gathering data from the scattered scientific literature, online reports and community forums, and surveys of bird experts.
Our study found that masturbation is widespread across birds with a strong evolutionary history, meaning that it’s an ancient trait probably similar in closely related species. Although we found more records of masturbation in male birds, it occurs in both sexes and across all age groups.
Solo sex also seems to be linked to species that mate with multiple partners, supporting the idea that it might help to increase reproductive success when there is a high degree of competition over fertilization. For instance, in males it may flush out old sperm to leave newer (better-condition) sperm for mating. In females, it may increase sexual arousal to help with sneak mating with males other than their partner... (MORE - details)