Other Bird

Dimensions of corvid consciousness

Corvids have long been a target of public fascination and of scientific attention, particularly in the study of animal minds. Using Birch et al.’s (2020) 5-dimensional framework for animal consciousness we ask what it is like to be a corvid...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Veit, W., Browning, H., Garcia-Pelegrin, E. et al. 2025. Dimensions of corvid consciousness. Animal Cognition 28(1), 35.

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites as stress biomarkers in common buzzards (Buteo buteo) across rehabilitation phases: Implications for raptor welfare

Taking wildlife into human care is a balancing act between benefits and harms, as handling and captivity can cause chronic stress that can lead to permanent physiological changes. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate stress levels during the rehabilitation of...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Handling, RestraintAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Grundei, L.-L., Wolf, T. E., Brandes, F. et al. 2026. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites as stress biomarkers in common buzzards (Buteo buteo) across rehabilitation phases: Implications for raptor welfare. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 13.

Automated, stress-free, and precise measurement of songbird weight in neuroscience experiments

Monitoring the health and well-being of research animals is essential for both ethical and scientific purposes. In songbirds, body weight is one of the main indicators of their overall condition, yet traditional weighing methods can be intrusive and stress-inducing, which...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, HandlingAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Bonneh, Y., Tuval, A., Ben-Shitrit, I. et al. 2026. Automated, stress-free, and precise measurement of songbird weight in neuroscience experiments. PLOS ONE 21(1), e0339848.

Assessment of non-contact infrared thermometer measurement sites in birds

The standard method of obtaining body temperature in a bird can be a stressful event, making routine evaluations challenging. Twenty-eight privately owned birds in good health were enrolled in the study to compare digital and infrared (IR) temperature readings. Digital...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken, Finch, Other Bird, Parrot

Citation: Anderson, J., Kaplan-Stein, S., Adolph, S. et al. 2020. Assessment of non-contact infrared thermometer measurement sites in birds. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 23(2), 131-139.

Flight to freedom: Behavior modification of an undomesticated pigeon using human interaction

The white-crowned pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala, is a species of bird not often used in research. This may be related to its anxiety during normal human interactions, such as with cage changing. Our institution acquired a single, male, white-crowned pigeon after...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Animal Training, Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Glaspell, S. 2020. Flight to freedom: Behavior modification of an undomesticated pigeon using human interaction. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 8(2) (March/April), 58-61.

Future aviary design: The science of circular flight aviaries for avian welfare

Birds are kept in captive settings globally, and many of these birds are not flight-restrained. It is generally considered more ethical to house birds in aviaries than to practice flight restraint through wing clipping or pinioning, which means that aviaries...

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Finch, Other Bird, Parrot

Citation: Brereton, J. E., Coe, J. C., Fernandez, E. J. 2025. Future aviary design: The science of circular flight aviaries for avian welfare. Zoo Biology 44(4), 293–303.

Effects of flight restraint and housing conditions on feather corticosterone in white storks under human care

Flight is part of the natural behaviours of most bird species, and as a consequence, flight restraint in zoos, even for those species that are primarily ground-dwelling, encounters increasing animal welfare concerns. While previous studies on greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus)...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Liermann, F., Baumgartner, K., Simon, R. et al. 2025. Effects of flight restraint and housing conditions on feather corticosterone in white storks under human care. Animals 15(13), 1878.

Assessment of minimum stable areas for young ostriches according to animal welfare legislation (2025)

Regarding the ongoing global development of commercial ostrich husbandry, it is necessary to establish science-based recommendations for the appropriate treatment and welfare of ostriches. In this study, we determined the minimum housing area required for ostriches aged between 6 and...

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Rückschloss, S., Schüttpelz, R. N., Korbel, R. 2025. Assessment of minimum stable areas for young ostriches according to animal welfare legislation. Animals 15(4), 582.

Less activity means improved welfare? How pair housing influences pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) behaviour

The activity level and specific behaviours exhibited by captive animals are crucial indicators of welfare. Stereotypies, or repetitive behaviours that have no apparent function or goal, are performed by animals experiencing poor conditions in their environment and indicate welfare concerns....

Year Published: 2024Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Wolff, L. M., Stevens, J. R. 2024. Less activity means improved welfare? How pair housing influences pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) behaviour. Animal Welfare 33, e49.

Individual behavior and housing setup interact to influence markers of welfare in the critically endangered Hawaiian crow

While some stress can be beneficial for survival, identifying drivers of detrimental stress is essential for improving animal welfare and reproductive outcomes in conservation breeding programs. We examined the interaction between housing and behavioral indicators of temperament, both of which...

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Gosselin, R. P., Flanagan, A. M., Mendl, M. et al. 2025. Individual behavior and housing setup interact to influence markers of welfare in the critically endangered Hawaiian crow. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 282, 106475.