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Masturbation among birds is ‘natural’ and should not be punished, say experts (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world
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[–] 54 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (5 children)

A bird wrote this

PS: Article delivers

An investigation into acts of self-pleasure among parrots and other birds has reached a climax

Typically, males would be “rubbing quite vigorously” on their perch, a toy or a twig, or on their owner’s hand, foot or shoulder

Freaky ass birds.

Hold up. If a bird is bonded to you, and it does it, does it even count as baitin'? Sounds more like it's trying to mate with its mate. Or is bird-jacking fundamentally different? Bird experts... pitch in.

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  • [+] 14 points 5 months ago (3 children)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago (2 children)

    Can you explain why a bird bonded to you from early childhood would also be sexually attracted to you? To humans in general I could understand but why to you, the "parent"? Are birds less opposed to incest?

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    There's a difference between incest and inbreeding. Opposition to incest, that is sex for pleasure among family members, is a moral position, and apparently unique to humans.

    Inbreeding, sex for reproduction, is blocked on a biological level more strongly in some species than others, but it still happens, of course.

    In humans, and perhaps other species, there is sometimes sexual disinterest in closely related family members, but this is not "opposition to incest", and certainly is not universal.

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  • [–] 1 point 5 months ago

    Well yeah, inbreeding is what I meant. Didn't actually know there was a difference.

    Still, I've read that many animals prefer not to fuck/breed with relatives. Except some pigeons in cities apparently, they prefer their relatives if Wikipedia and my memory of that article is to be believed.

    Better phrasing would've probably been "Lack of sexual interest in family".

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  • [–] 6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

    Not an expert, but I've witnessed something like this. Step mom turned into a strange bird person for her midlife crisis, got an African grey that absolutely hates all females including her, but loves all dude. It dude puff up and squat on your shoulder, but it wouldn't rub anything. Maybe it's different for male birds.

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