The Birds in our care are domestic. They have hatched in captivity, often from many generations of domestic Birds. These Birds are not wild animals & can’t survive in the wild. It may seem unusual then that studying the behaviors & environment of their wild cousins can enhance the lives of our pet Birds & add value to activities. In this article, we will focus on Budgies (melopsittacus undulatus) & Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) to evaluate this concept.
Although pet Birds don’t have the survival skills to live in the wild, domestic Birds often have natural foraging instincts deep down that, with support, can be nurtured & the Bird can learn to use. To get the most from these hidden instincts, we need to understand the behaviors, methods & how they manifest in their wild conspecifics. The best way to do this is to research how these species live in the wild. In your research, you need to find the answers to these 4 questions.
What country are they from? (focus on the type of habitat)
What do they eat in the wild? (beware of pseudo articles from people passing off guesses as fact. look for scientific papers from field study)
How do they forage?
How to they interact with conspecifics?
These questions can then gather a wealth of useful information that can be applied to enrichment activities. Below is how we would gather & use this information for Budgies & Cockatiels.
ANSWERS
Australia- mainly grassland areas, scrubland & open woodland (Budgies). Arid & semi- arid areas (Cockatiels).
Budgies eat- primarily the seeds of grass & spinifex species
Cockatiels eat- primarily seeds of grass species, young plants & shoots.
Both are experienced ground level foragers, feeding on seeding grasses, young plants & occasional cultivated crops at ground level.
Both are highly social species that are found in flocks ranging from 2 to several hundred individuals. Foraging & drinking are highly social activities.
LOOK AT PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE SPECIES IN THE WILD
EVALUATING
With those answers, we then need to add this valuable information to their enrichment program. We need to evaluate the answers & comb out the helpful information that we can actually use. In this case, we need to look & see how their wild habitat is set up, how can we mimic elements of this in activities? Budgies & Cockatiels in the wild are often pictured on sand, can we add safe sand to activities?
The natural foods they are proven to eat in the wild are what their body recognizes as food. Are these plants (or similar) something we can provide for our domestic Birds as dietary enrichment? In the case of these species, seasonal seeding grasses are the natural food & these are very easy to add to the diet via enrichment activities. Knowing that they are experienced ground foragers is very helpful as this natural foraging method should be encouraged. Developing floor based foraging & enrichment activities really plays to the strength of these species.
Because they are highly social, what can you do to increase the social elements of an activity? How do you take advantage of their social foraging, bathing & feeding behaviors to bring the most out of an activity?
OUTCOME
The outcome of this research is better enrichment. We are adapting activities to suit their ancient needs, needs that the Birds often don’t even realize they have. Setting up activities that use ideal foraging situations, perfect social structure, natural foods & materials, if done right, can drastically enhance the foraging experience. This in turn enhances their health, happiness & quality of life. There are many ways to enhance the enrichment experience, but looking to nature is definitely one of the most helpful.
The activity pictured below is a ground level activity where barley straw is placed over hidden treats & toys. Odin & Michael were un-experienced foragers who both suffer from trauma & neophobia, but playing to their strengths gave them the courage to try the activity, which they loved to play with. Notice also that Odin has 1 leg, but had no issue interacting with the materials. Enrichment is so easy to modify & adapt to the Bird’s needs & strengths. What can you do to unlock the magic?