Psittacine behavior observations

Psittacine behavior observations
Author: Alan Lee
Editors: Donald Brightsmith, Gabriela Vigo
Last updated: February 2009
Introduction
Despite macaws being one of the most social of birds, few detailed studies exist examining the
intricacies of social interactions between these birds in the wild. Claylicks offer an opportunity for
several species of parrot to interact. However, patterns of behavior emerging from small scale
studies have not painted a complete picture of the role of claylicks in the social lives of the parrots,
or how variables impact upon inter and intra species interactions. A study of a claylick in Manu,
southeastern Peru, showed red-and-green macaws to be more aggressive than scarlet macaws,
which they outnumbered. Red-and-green macaws are larger than scarlet macaws, and a correlation
between size and aggression between smaller parrot species has been reported. However,
aggression levels may also depend on group size, since the medium sized blue-headed parrot, the
most aggressive parrot feeding in the early morning in Manu, was also the most common.
Agonistic behaviors between breeding macaws can have fatal consequences for chicks caught up
in the battle for nesting. It is still speculation whether claylicks act to establish social hierarchies
among macaws that help reduce the need to fight for nesting sites, but the claylicks may be
serving a purpose more than the supplementation of dietary sodium and the adsorption of dietary
toxins. However, since many of the species observed around claylicks tend to be found in pairs
and smaller groups outside of this social setting, behavior recorded around the claylick may not be
typical of the species as a group. We thus also need to record bird behavior in a range of other
natural settings to better understand these birds, by which we will be able to provide advice on
how to care for birds in aviculture.
Objectives
1. Determine daily trends in major behavior categories around a claylick
2. Determine the role of flock size and number of birds in close proximity impact on parrot
behavior
3. Determine how a bird behavior changes in relation to a bird’s location in the vicinity of the
claylick
4. Compare levels of aggressive interactions and other social behavior for birds at the claylick to
birds in a forest setting or around nesting sites
Instructions
We will be recording bird behavior around claylicks and nests to determine how these birds are
spending their time and how it changes with the physical and social setting. In addition, we will
also be recording behaviour of perched birds in the vicinity of nests, the towers or overlook while
doing Group Size / Arrival monitoring. We record behaviour for 3 key species: Red-and-green
macaws, Scarlet macaws and Mealy parrots.
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Using the telescope, randomly select one bird and observe the bird carefully for one minute (to
randomly select a bird give each bird in view a number in you head and ask your partner to choose
a number, then conduct observations on the bird with that number). Try and follow the same
individual for the duration of its stay in the area of the claylick. Describe what the bird is doing
and the person recording should tick all the boxes for the activity that that bird is involved in.
Should you be alone, you will need to remember the activities until the minute is over then record
them. Once a behaviour category has been ticked during the minute’s observation, it does not need
to be ticked again.
This should be done for one minute every 5 minutes when birds are visible. Try to stick to the
same 5 minute interval (unless first bird on lick starts in the minute you are supposed to do your
behavioural observation in which case choose a different 1 minute period). E.g. you are watching
behaviour of RGMA at 6:00, 6:05 etc. Birds land on the lick at 6:10. Since you will use this count
interval for the rest of the day, in order to not overlap observations, move the behaviour interval to
6:12, 6:27, 6:22 etc.
First of all, you have to write the Time of your observation using military time (for instance: 3pm
is 15:00) . After that, the Weather is recorded as in order of importance: rain, fog, cloud, sun (a
clear shadow cast in the area of the claylick or clear skies if before sunrise).
Write in the Species column, the abbreviation of the English name of the species. If you are
recording behaviour of the same individual, place an X in this column. Otherwise, write the
species name again (e.g. SCMA).
Note how many birds of the same species were within beak reach of your target bird (#
individuals of same species within beak reach column). This is to give us an idea of if it was
possible to have social interactions with other birds during the observation period. This is the
maximum number of birds that were near the target bird at any one time. So if a bird is alone
when you start observing, a bird flies in and perches close, and then flies away again, another bird
lands within beak reach, then the number of birds within beak reach is 1.
Record the number of individuals of the same species in the area of observation (claylick, nest,
tower, overlook). Include all the birds that you can see in the area, not just those perched in the
vicinity of the target bird. This includes birds in the trees, claylick and flying (like the max count
explained previously). This will rarely be 100% accurate, but helps us understand if interactions
change with more macaws in the area. This number is inclusive of the bird you are watching i.e.
should never be 0.
Record the position of the bird in relation to the surface of the claylick. This is high up in the
vegetation (15m or higher), low (in vegetation closer to the claylick), or on the surface of the
claylick. This column refers only to behaviours recorded around claylicks. If you are recording
data from a tower or at a nest just write a NA (not applicable)
After completing all the information listed above you are ready to record the behaviour of the
individual itself. Here you have the list of definitions related to psittacine behaviours. Please, read
it carefully and try to learn to recognize each behavior. It is possible that you already know some
of these terms; you may also use some of these terms to refer to other psittacine behaviours.
Please, use only the definitions here below when taking these data.
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Psittacine Behaviour Terminology
1. Resting. Bird perched is perched, usually looking forward, maybe looking slowly around, but
not doing any of the following:
2. Vigilant. Bird is actively looking around; head movement is notable, often with head twisted at
90 degrees from the body so that the bird is looking up at the sky or down at the ground
3. Panting. Beak is open and tongue moving up and down, much like a dog.
4. Headshake. This is normally a quick shaking movement of the head. Sometimes is associated
with a bird being bothered by insects; other times is just to reorganized the feathers of the head.
5. Sleeping. If the bird’s eye is closed for longer than 10 seconds it should be considered sleeping.
Often but not always, the head may be turned around over the back. Sometimes, the bird that is
sleeping stands just in one food. Often but not always, the plumage of a sleeping bird is fluffed
up and the body looks fatty and round.
6. Walking. Bird is walking along a branch or between branches, or on the claylick. Does not
include flight or other body movements covered by the following categories.
7. Calling. Bird is vocalizing – beak is open and call can be heard. If lots of calling is going on
and you are not sure your bird is calling, don’t record calling, but rather General Calling.
8. Begging. Juvenile and soliciting females emit a slow “erp, erp, erp…” noise, accompanied by
fluffed up head feathers; usually done in the presence of an adult bird (parent or mate).
9. Playing. Bird or birds engaged in robust movements, involving hanging upside down,
squawking, gentle lunging. Distinguished from fighting which is very loud, and occurs over a
very short period with wings open.
10. Kissing. Bird grapples the beak of a partner bird. Sometimes they use tongues.
11. Hanging. Bird is hanging upside down, almost bat-like, from a branch or liana.
12. Aggression. Bird lunges with beak open at another bird. If the aggression is not towards the
same species, note the species in the box. E.g. a RGMA lunges towards a SCMA, then write
SCMA in the box.
13. Submission. Bird retreats from an aggressive bird, either backing away or flying off. Note
species if the response was towards a different species.
14. Fighting. Two birds are engaged in loud strident calls, lots of wing flapping. Fights are
normally fairly short with the looser flying off. Note the species if the fight was not with an
individual of the same species.
15. Wingstretch. Bird opens both its wings in a stretch and does not fly away. It is not necessary to
record wingstretch for activities where wings are typically open e.g. playing or fighting.
16. Preening. Bird is grooming itself with its beak.
17. Allopreening. Bird is grooming or being groomed by another bird.
18. Scratch. Bird is using its foot to groom.
19. Branch biting. Bird is using its beak to bite the branch it is on or tear leaves off its perch. Not
to be confused with bird using its beak to balance itself as it moves along a branch.
20. Eating plant. Any feeding behaviour observed in the trees around the claylick, including
leaves.
21. Eating clay (on lick or in trees). Bird is either on the claylick or is perched in the vegetation
with a lump of clay.
22. Defecation. Observed bird defecates.
23. Copulating. Birds are seen copulating.
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24. Flight. Observed bird flies from one branch to another and stays within sight (write short in
the box) or takes off and flies out of view (write away in the box).
A visual guide to some Psittacine behaviour terms
Resting
Playing
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Vigilance
Scratching
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Preening
Allopreening
Aggressive pose
Submissive response to another bird’s
aggression
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Eating clay in the trees, note clay in the foot
Eating clay on the clay lick
Fighting pose
Panting
Tambopata Macaw Project – 2009
www.macawproject.org
Created by A. Lee. Edited by G. Vigo
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Terminologia de comportamiento de Psitacidos
1. Descansando (Resting). El ave esta perchada, generalmente mirando al frente, talvez
mirando despacio alrrededor, pero NO haciendo ninguno de los siguientes comportamientos.
2. Vigilante (Vigilant). El ave esta mirando activamente alrededor; el movimiento de la cabeza
es notable, muchas veces con la cabeza inclinada a 90 grados del cuerpo de tal manera que
puede ver el cielo hacia arriba y el suelo hacia abajo.
3. Jadeando (Panting). El pico esta abierto y la lengua se mueve de arriba hacia abajo, muy
parecido a un perro.Beak is open and tongue moving up and down, much like a dog.
4. Sacudiendo la cabeza (Headshake). Generalmente es un movimiento rapido de la cabeza.
Aveces es asociado a un aves siendo molestada por insectos, en otros casos es solo para
reacomodar las plumas.
5. Durmiendo (Sleeping). Si es que los ojos del aves estan cerrados por mas de 10 segundos,
debe ser considerado como “Durmiendo”. Muchas veces, pero no siempre, la cabeza esta
volteada, apoyada en el lomo y el pico escondido entre las plumas. Aveces, las aves tienden a
levantar una pata cuando duerme, entonces estaran paradas solo en una pata. Aveces, pero no
siempre, el plumage de las aves cuando duermen luce “esponjoso” y el cuerpo se ve “gordito”
y algo “redondo”.
6. Caminando (Walking). Ave caminando a lo largo de una rama o entre ramas o en la colpa.
No incluye pelea u otro movimiento del cuerpo que encaje en las siguientes termologias
7. Llamado (Calling). El ave esta vocalizando – el pico esta abierto y el canto es escuchado. Si
es que muchas aves estan cantando a la vez y no estas seguro de que “tu” ave esta cantando,
no anotes “calling”, escribe GC (General Calling o Canto en general) en la celda
correspondiente.
8. Pidiendo comida (Begging). Juveniles o hembras emparejadas emiten un sonido lento
parecido a un “erp, erp, erp...”, acopanhado por un encrespamiento de las plumas de la
cabeza. Generalmente este comportamiento se da en presencia de otro adulto (padre o pareja).
9. Jugando (Playing). Aves que realizan movimientos fuertes y bruscos, parandose patas arriba,
haciendo sonidos, y haciendo embestidas suaves. Se diferencia de una pelea real porque en
una disputa las aves emiten sonidos muy fuertes y el contacto corporal es por un periodo muy
corto de tiempo.
10. Besandose (Kissing). El ave coje con su pico el pico de otra ave. Aveces utilizando la lengua.
11. Colgandose (Hanging). El ave se para patas arriba de una rama o liana, casi como un
murcielago,
12. Agresion (Aggression). El ave se enfrenta con el pico abierto a otra ave. Si la agresion no es
hacia un individuo de la misma especie, anota el nombre de la especie en la celda. Ejemplo:
RGMA se enfrenta a un SCMA, entonces escribe SCMA en la celda.
13. Sumision (Submission). El ave se retracta frente a una agresion impartida por otra ave, ya
sea retrosediendo o volando. Anotar si la respuesta fue frente a otra especie.
14. Peleando (Fighting). Dos aves se enfrentan directamente, emitiendo sonidos muy fuertes y
muchos movimientos de ala. Las peleas son generalmente cortas y el perdedor vuela y se va
del area. Anotar la especie si es que la pelea no fue con un individuo de la misma especie.
15. Estirando las alas (Wingstretch). El ave abre las alas para darse un estiron y no vuela. No es
necesario anotar “wingstretch” para actividades en las cuales las alas estan tipicamente
abiertas. Ejemplo: jugando o peleandose.
16. Asicalandose (Preening). El ave toca sus plumas con su pico, acomodandolas.
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17. Asicalandose mutuamente (Allopreening). El ave asicala a otra ave o es asicalada por otra
ave.
18. Picotendo rama. (Branch biting). El ave esta picotendo, utilizando su pico, la rama en la
que esta parado o quitando hojas de ella. No confundirse con el hecho de que el ave este
utilizando su pico para balanceanse cuando camina atravez de las ramas.
19. Comiendo planta (Eating plant). Cualquier evento de alimentacion observado en los arboles
alrrededor de la colpa , incluyendo hojas.
20. Comindo colpa en la colpa o en los arboles (Eating clay on lick or in trees). El ave esta
parada en la colpa o perchada en la vegetacion con un pedazo de colpa.
21. Defecando (Defecation). Se observa el ave defecando.
22. Copulando (Copulating). Se observa a las aves copulando.
23. Volando (Flight). Se observa al ave volando de una rama a otra y puede ser vista (escribir
SHORT en la celda) o se va volando lejos y sale del campo visual (escirbir AWAY en la
celda)
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