Answered by Susan Friedman & LLP Course Graduates:

Dear Colin,
I’ve asked Gay Noeth to respond to your question. Gay is an instructor for my Living and Learning with Parrots (LLP) course and related lists. She raises small numbers of parrots and disseminates excellent behavior and parrot care information (see http://onafricanwings.com/). Another WPT member in your region will contact you directly with information about re-homing your bird if that’s what you decide to do. Gay suggests that you rethink your choice. All best, S.


Hi Colin,
My name is Gay Noeth and I work with Dr. Friedman on her Parrot Behavior Analysis list. I see you have asked for help finding your parrot a new home. While that is really all you asked for help with, I would like to take this opportunity to mention a few other things.

We really don't know that much about feather destructive behaviors. Does it stem from an underlying medical cause? Does it stem from an underlying behavioral cause? An interesting discussion of the different correlates associated with feather picking can be found at http://www.dds.com/store/files/49/1860827.pdf.

If you are interested in reconsidering re-homing your bird, here are some guiding questions: Are you thinking of re-homing your bird because you feel it is necessary for your situation or are you thinking of re-homing him because you believe that somehow you are failing the bird? Feather plucking shouldn't make us feel the bird needs a new home. Instead, it may be a call to action. Yes, you need to ensure all medical avenues have been explored, and you might need to take a closer look at the bird’s environment to reduce possible stressors (like noise and air quality), or to see if there is someway you can make your bird’s daily activities more enriching. There is a great little book written by Kris Porter that she donated to the Internet community called, "The Parrot Enrichment Activity Book." It can be found right here on the WPT website at http://www.parrots.org/index.php/referencelibrary/behaviourandenviroenrich/. On that same page are some great behavior articles that might help you learn more about your bird’s behavior.

You're already working on changing the diet and there is a good list at yahoo that can help you even more with that aspect of keeping your bird (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FeedingFeathers). Many birds do just fine with their caregivers going to work. Even with all these possibilities accounted for, our birds may pluck. Accepting the situation may be all we can do for now. Bottom line, If you are doing all you can, that's the best you can offer, and that may well be enough from your bird’s point of view. A new home won't necessarily stop the plucking. It's even possible that the stress of the move could add to it! As you can see, I lean toward keeping birds in their homes whenever possible.

Good luck with your decision,
Gay
http://www.onafricanwings.com

Answered by Susan Friedman & LLP Course Graduates:

Thanks for your warm hello, Janet! Sending a video link of Sydney's behavior is a great help. To catch everyone up with our previous correspondence, Sydney is being seen by a veterinarian and you are improving her nutrition and enriching her living environment. This trio is always the right first step.

According to Barrows Animal Behavior Desk Reference, A Dictionary of Animal Behavior, Ecology and Evolution (2nd ed.), anting is a bird's seizing one or more ants and placing it in its feathers under its wing or elsewhere; crushing the ant with its bill and rubbing its juices on its feathers; dusting itself in an ant hill, or a combination of these activities. Apparently over 200 species of birds do it but I am not aware of any scientific data describing anting with parrots. This would be a good question for you to ask on the main WPT list.

There is a lack of consensus over whether or not similar behavior patterns exhibited with objects rather than ants (wood, eucalypt leaves, paper, novel objects) should be included in the definition of anting. This issue is based on the same reasoning that forms the crux of my response to you: No one really knows why birds engage in anting. Commonly repeated hypothesis include parasite control, food preparation, and sensory reinforcement but it remains, “mysterious and controversial”, according to Barrows. So, while the topography (its physical shape and form) is similar to what we see our captive birds do, the extent to which it shares the same function as anting is not knowable at this time.

This is a good opportunity to exercise critical thinking skills. Lots of behaviors have a similar topography that are not functionally the same. For example, the topography of putting on lipstick is the same as putting on lip balm but the function of the former is decoration and the latter is medicinal, relieving dry lips. Sometimes the topographies of 2 behaviors differ but the function is the same. For example, shouting "Hello!" across a crowed room has a very different topography than waving wildly but they share the same function -- getting someone’s attention.

Regarding the relation between anting and Sydney’s behavior, alluring logical hypotheses notwithstanding, more research is needed. Unfortunately, the more urgently we need answers to solve behavior problems, the more likely we are to connect dots invalidly. It takes discipline to hold the line at creative thinking without crossing over the line by generating explanatory fictions.

Another phrase in your email is also relevant to this point. You describe Sydney's behavior as ceremonial/ritualistic but we can't know if the behavior serves a similar function as the ritualized behavior of, for example, people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), in spite of its similar topography. The function of the compulsive behaviors in OCD is said to reduce feelings of dread.

Sydney's behavior is also similar in topography to another behavior pattern called stereotypies, which are characterized by relatively invariant, repetitive behaviors that have no apparent function. Stereotypies are very common among captive animals and people with developmental disabilities. It has been well researched in both the human educational and zoo settings. See http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/110573483/ABSTRACT for more info with zoo animals).

Anting? OCD? Stereotypies? Too much time on her beak? Other hypotheses? Our questions exceed our science. Fortunately, if you think Sydney’s quality of life would improve by doing this behavior less, the teaching technology of applied behavior analysis can help you teach her to do other behaviors more. Strategies like shaping new behaviors by reinforcing gradual steps toward the goal behavior and differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors are powerful tools to change behavior humanely. I know you are well on your way to accomplishing that goal.

All best,
S
Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D.
Utah State University
Dept of Psychology
Dept of Special Education


“Do not go where the path may lead;
go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Emerson

Answered by Susan Friedman & LLP Course Graduates:

Thank you for your important question. The very first step to understanding behavior is to replace diagnostic labels with the observable behavior your bird *does* and the conditions in which he does the behavior. You've used two labels: Territorial and aggressive. Those labels are used to describe a wide variety of behaviors. What does you bird do, that can be observed, and what are the immediate conditions that predict when he will do them? We modify behavior by changing the conditions under which it occurs, one behavior at a time. I hope you don't mind my answering your question with two questions! After you tell me the observable behaviors and conditions in which they occur, we can proceed with the next step. All best, Susan G. Friedman, Ph.D. Utah State University Dept of Psychology Dept of Special Education “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Emerson