A new study reported June 4, 2026, finds that masturbation is widespread among birds and should be regarded as a natural, healthy component of their sexual behaviour rather than a pathological response to captivity or stress. The research synthesised published scientific literature and thousands of observations submitted by bird keepers and breeders through surveys and online communities, producing the broadest account to date of self-stimulatory behaviour in avian species.
The study was led by Chloe Heys at the University of Lancashire with co-authors from the University of Oxford, Swansea University and the University of Liverpool. Researchers combined formal reports and crowd-sourced field observations to assess how frequently and in which contexts birds masturbate, and whether the behaviour varies by sex or age.
Findings showed masturbation across a wide range of bird species and in both sexes. Males accounted for 55% of recorded cases while females accounted for 36%, and juveniles were nearly as likely as adults to display the behaviour — suggesting it is not confined to sexually mature individuals. The pattern held across diverse environments and species groups.
The research challenges the common belief that self-stimulation in captive birds, such as parrots, arises primarily from solitary confinement. As Heys put it: “Despite assumptions that masturbation among captive birds such as parrots is a result of their often solitary living conditions, our study shows it is natural, healthy and widespread across diverse bird species, even in different environments.” Dr Matilda Brindle of the University of Oxford added that the findings support growing evidence that non-reproductive sexual behaviours are common throughout the animal kingdom.
Masturbation has previously been documented in dolphins, marine iguanas, Cape ground squirrels, horses, penguins and several primates, including chimpanzees, gibbons and Japanese macaques. The authors say the study broadens understanding of animal behaviour and undermines the assumption that sexual acts always serve only reproductive purposes, with implications for how researchers, keepers and the public interpret natural sexual diversity in animals.
Original Source: https://www.news18.com/india/birds-do-it-too-new-study-says-masturbation-in-animals-is-more-common-than-we-think-ws-l-10129304.html
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Publish Date: 2026-06-04 04:27:00
