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

The Guardian · 🇬🇧 public United Kingdom · · 627 words · By Ian Sample
Scientific Research Veterinary Ethics Animal Welfare
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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.

Claims checked 10
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left17%
Center66%
Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

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.

Why it matters

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.

Common ground

The report’s authors urged vets to reassure worried owners that the antics are not harmful and warned that efforts to intervene, which range from removing perches to hormone treatment and surgery, could be far more damaging.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/01/masturbation-birds-natural-healt…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info Single Source 1
verified Verified 1
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Claim 1: “In total, they collected data on 120 bird species, captive and wild.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that the study collected data on 120 bird species.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — 120 may refer to: 120 (number), the natural number following 119 and preceding 121 AD 120, a year in the 2nd century AD 120 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC 120 film, a film format for still photogra…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/120
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) ( AM-ram) is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. It uses active transmit-r…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-120_AMRAAM
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (Italian: Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma), billed on-screen as Pasolini's 120 Days of Sodom on English-language prints and commonly referred to as simply Salò (Italian…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salò,_or_the_120_Days_of_Sodom
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 2: “Slightly more accounts mention males, but females were by no means exempt.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that while more accounts mention males, females also engage in the behavior.
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web search NEUTRAL — May 31, 2026 ... Research co-authored by the Department of Biology's Dr Matilda Brindle suggests that avian masturbation is an ancient and natural behaviour, ...
https://www.facebook.com/AustralianConservationFoundation/po…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 2, 2026 ... In the first broad evolutionary analysis of its kind, Chloe Heys and her colleagues found that masturbation appears across many bird groups. It ...
https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/why-birds-ma…
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web search NEUTRAL — May 31, 2026 ... Importantly, as masturbation is more commonly reported in wild than captive birds, we find it is therefore not a negative or maladaptive ...
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.73693
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Claim 3: “Avian onanism is widespread among species, including parrots, ducks, turkeys and chickens”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources explicitly list parrots, ducks, turkeys, and chickens as species where this behavior is widespread.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 1, 2026 ... Avian onanism is widespread among species, including parrots, ducks, turkeys and chickens, and more common in the wild than in captivity, the ...
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/01/masturbation…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 2, 2026 ... They collected data on 120 bird species ... turkeys and chickens, with slightly more accounts describing males but females also included.
https://www.facebook.com/zimcelebsofficial/photos/zcinternat…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 12, 2026 ... A study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Ecology and Evolution, investigated sexual behaviors among 120 bird species. Researchers ...
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/researchers-discovery…
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Claim 4: “researchers concluding it is part of a bird’s natural behaviour”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including the academic publisher Wiley Online Library and news reports, state that researchers concluded masturbation is a natural behavior for birds.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 1, 2026 ... Most people who have birds don't punish their birds for masturbating but they'll interrupt them/distract them from the process to help prevent ...
https://www.reddit.com/r/EverythingScience/comments/1ttu7i6/…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 1, 2026 ... The research also found that although male birds masturbate more than females, both sexes partake in the behaviour – 55% of male records ...
https://www.biology.ox.ac.uk/article/masturbation-in-pet-bir…
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web search NEUTRAL — May 31, 2026 ... We find that masturbation is indeed a natural behaviour that is widespread across avian taxa, occurring in both captive and wild birds, and ...
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ece3.73693
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Claim 5: “the study found the activity was more common in the wild than in captivity”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources confirm that the study found masturbation is more common in wild birds than in captive ones.
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web search NEUTRAL — May 1, 2025 · Masturbation is a healthy, natural, and safe way to practice self-care. Learn the benefits, myths, and potential side effects.
https://www.healthline.com/health/masturbation-side-effects
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web search NEUTRAL — Nov 16, 2024 · Masturbation is the self-stimulation of the genitals to achieve sexual arousal and pleasure, usually to the point of orgasm (sexual climax). It is commonly done by touching, stroking, o…
https://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/masturbation-guide
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web search NEUTRAL — Oct 25, 2022 · Masturbation is a normal, healthy part of your sexual development. It involves the use of your hands, fingers, sex toys or other objects to stimulate your genitals and other sensitive a…
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24332-masturb…
help
Claim 6: “Dr Ana Basto, a vet at the University of Lancashire”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding a Dr. Ana Basto.
info
Claim 7: “The team surveyed bird experts and online communities of bird keepers, breeders and enthusiasts, and combined their accounts with others published in scientific literature.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the study's existence is confirmed, the specific methodology (surveying experts and online communities) is not explicitly detailed in the provided search snippets, although the overall study is mentioned.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 11, 2022 · This study examined the bird species' detection rate throughout the day, considering their body mass and diet type, concerning the environment and weather ...
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/a…
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web search NEUTRAL — Generally, transect surveys are used to compare bird differences between sites. They can be used to monitor changes in bird populations when an area is changed.
https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW164
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Furthermore, we present a novel, objective-driven framework that directly links core research goals in avian ecology—such as large-scale community audits, ...
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S205371662…
verified
Claim 8: “Dr Chloe Heys, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Lancashire in Preston”
VERIFIED
The academic source (Wiley Online Library) and news reports explicitly identify Dr. Chloe Heys as an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Lancashire in Preston.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 King's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms of King Charles III to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Birthday_Honours
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Events of the year 2026 in England.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_in_England
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This article is a list of people associated with Newcastle University as either a student or teacher.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Newcastle_University_p…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 9: “The study’s findings have been published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including the Wiley Online Library and news reports, confirm the study was published in the journal 'Ecology and Evolution'.
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 1, 2026 · Study finds activity is not harmful or caused by stress of captivity – and is in fact more common in wild birds.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/01/masturbation…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 4, 2026 · New research suggests that we should welcome birds to the sweaty club of animals that masturbate, which is way less exclusive than we thought. " ...
https://www.sciencealert.com/it-turns-out-birds-masturbate-t…
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web search NEUTRAL — Understanding Your Bird's Natural Behaviour A new scientific study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution has confirmed that self-stimulating...
https://www.facebook.com/birdsaviarycommunity/posts/-underst…
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Claim 10: “Dr Matilda Brindle, an evolutionary biologist at Oxford University and the study’s co-author”
CORROBORATED
A news source explicitly identifies Dr. Matilda Brindle as a co-author from the Department of Biology (implied Oxford/University context) who suggests the behavior is natural.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A kiss is the touching or pressing of one's lips against another person, animal, or object. The cultural connotations associated with kissing vary significantly between different societies and contex…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The baculum (pl.: bacula), also known as the penis bone, penile bone, os penis, os genitale, or os priapi, is a bone in the penis of many placental mammals. It is not present in humans, but is present…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baculum
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The dingo is a lineage of dog found in Australia. It is a medium-sized canine that possesses a lean, hardy body adapted for speed, agility, and stamina. Its three main coat colourations are light ging…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dingo
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.