Foraging enrichment alleviates oral repetitive behaviors in captive red-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii). 2020

Melissa L Fangmeier, and Alicia L Burns, and Vicky A Melfi, and Jessica Meade
Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

The relationship between inadequate foraging opportunities and the expression of oral repetitive behaviors has been well documented in many production animal species. However, this relationship has been less-well examined in zoo-housed animals, particularly avian species. The expression of oral repetitive behavior may embody a frustrated foraging response, and may therefore be alleviated with the provision of foraging enrichment. In this study, we examined the effect of different foraging-based enrichment items on a group of captive red-tailed black cockatoos who were previously observed performing oral repetitive behavior. A group of six cockatoos were presented with five foraging enrichment conditions (no enrichment (control), sliced cucumber, fresh grass, baffle cages, and millet discs). Baseline activity budgets were established over a 10-day preintervention period and interventions were then presented systematically over a 25-day experimental period. This study demonstrated that the provision of foraging interventions effectively increased the median percentage of time spent foraging compared to control conditions (range, 5.0-31.7% across interventions vs. 5.0% for control), with two of the interventions; grass and millet discs, significantly decreasing the expression of oral repetitive behaviors (control = 16.6 vs. 8.3% for both grass and millet discs). Finally, a rapid-scoring method utilized by zookeepers during the study proved to be a useful proxy for the amount of time the cockatoos spent interacting with the foraging interventions and overall time spent foraging.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000822 Animal Husbandry The science of breeding, feeding and care of domestic animals; includes housing and nutrition. Animal Husbandries,Husbandries, Animal,Husbandry, Animal
D000836 Animals, Zoo Animal population groups or individual animals that reside in captivity at a zoological park. Animal, Zoo,Zoo Animal,Zoo Animals
D001522 Behavior, Animal The observable response an animal makes to any situation. Autotomy Animal,Animal Behavior,Animal Behaviors
D013239 Stereotyped Behavior Relatively invariant mode of behavior elicited or determined by a particular situation; may be verbal, postural, or expressive. Behavior, Stereotyped,Behaviors, Stereotyped,Stereotyped Behaviors
D046410 Cockatoos Large crested BIRDS in the family Cacatuidae, found in Australia, New Guinea, and islands adjacent to the Philippines. The cockatiel (species Nymphicus hollandicus) is much smaller. Cacatuidae,Cockatiels,Nymphicus hollandicus,Cockatiel,Cockatoo

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