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According to the U of G's first-ever study, the smarter the bird is, the greater its welfare needs in captivity.
According to Dr. Georgia Mason (director of the U of G's Campbell Center for the Study of Animal Welfare), this finding could also be applicable to brainy captive animals such as great apes, elephants, and whales.
Mason, a professor at the Department of Integrative Biology, stated that "this study provides the first empirical proof that intelligent animals can struggle under captivity."
This study also showed that large-brained parrots can be hampered by greater intelligence in wild environments.
About half of all parrots in the world live in homes, zoos, and breeding facilities.
"What's unique in this study? We're showing why certain species are at high risk and other species are safe."
The study was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society, B. It highlights the importance of cognitive stimulation and food that requires more complex physical handling in order to improve bird care.
Heather McDonald, a former U of G Ph.D. candidate, is co-author. She is also currently with Mount Sinai Health in Toronto and researchers at Utrecht University (the Netherlands) and University of Bristol (the U.K).
Two main data sources were examined by the researchers.
One survey was conducted in the early 1990s on successful captive breeding. It involved more than 30,000 birds from the United States. A survey was also conducted online that included almost 1,400 pet pararots from 50 species to determine stereotypic behavior. This is abnormal behavior such as biting cage bars, chewing feathers or eating them.
They examined housing conditions, brain size and body weight ratios (a measure of intelligence), diets, and other factors. A form of analysis was used to allow evolutionary biologists to identify inherited traits that could lead to species being at risk.
The researchers found that birds whose natural diet includes nuts, seeds, and tough-coated insects are more likely to pluck their feathers, chew them, or even eat them. Stereotypic behavior was more common in parrot species with large brains.
This finding shows that owners should ensure their birds eat natural foods and not feed them processed food. Foraging is a common activity for wild parrots, which spend between 40 and 75 percent of their time.
Mason suggested that parrots might have evolved the ability to manipulate their beaks even when they are fed in ready-made bowls.
We don't know which food is most important for feather-plucking birds. Parrot owners should ensure that naturalistic foods are provided to their birds so they can forage in the wild.
For example, yellow-naped Amazons (cockatiels), Jandaya parakeets, and Jandaya parakeets all thrive in domestic environments. However, parrots with large brains like Nanday parakeets or monk parakeets as well as some cockatoos have more trouble with psychological welfare.
Mason stated that "intelligent species are more invasive than ever before."
Parrots are social creatures, but they are more likely to be housed in solitude or in predictable and monotonous conditions.
"Some species are able to adapt to captivity well, but others should be removed if you don't have the time or creativity."
She suggested that owners provide more stimulation for birds by providing more naturalistic aviaries and puzzles as well as enrichment items.
"Good parrot carer are already doing this. If you are new to caring for parrots, choose a species that is likely to thrive. Do not choose parrots that don't fit your lifestyle or place.
Half of the estimated 100 million parrots in the world live in captivity. Most are kept as pets in private homes. Mason shared her new study with World Parrot Trust. Mason said that more than 40% of species in the wild are endangered or at risk.
"Good parrot welfare is very important for conservation."
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More information: Emma L. Mellor and colleagues, Nature calls: intelligence, natural foraging style, and poor welfare in captive parrots. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B: Biological Sciences (2021). Information from the Journal: Proceedings of the Royal Society B Emma L. Mellor and co-authors, Nature calls: intelligence, natural foraging style, and poor welfare in captive parrots (2021). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1952
