Georgia
Veterinary Scholar
Program

Normal Preening Behavior in Companion Cockatoo (Cacatua) Species.

Normal preening behavior is vital to feather maintenance. Preening consists of applying oil from the uropygial gland, removing the sheaths of new feathers, and cleaning feathers. During normal preening, the skin, the feathers, and the feather follicles are not damaged. In contrast, birds suffering from feather picking disorder, a common behavioral disorder in captive pittacine birds, often damage their feathers, skin, and soft tissue. Feather picking disorder is often described as an exaggeration of normal preening behavior or as the result of boredom and lack of environmental stimulation. This study investigates normal preening behaviors to determine the total amount of time spent daily engaging in preening activity as well as the frequency of preening specific body parts. The study also assesses the amount of time spent engaging in non-preening usage of the beak. Seven individually housed Cockatoos were recruited from private owners to participate in this study. Medical records and detailed behavioral history forms confirmed the physiological and behavioral health of each subject. Each bird was filmed using time-lapse recorders for twelve hours per day over a two-day period. The tapes were reviewed and the following behaviors were noted: rubbing of beak on substrate, scratching body or head with claw, the consumption and beak manipulation of food and water, beak manipulation of non food items, and preening of the wings, back, feet, legs, and abdomen. Data analysis was performed using Excel and SPSS, a statistical software package. The data collected from this study define the time limits for preening in non-feather picking Cockatoo species and serve as a baseline for comparison with cockatoos with feather picking disorder.