Environmental Enrichments for a Group of Captive Macaws: Low Interaction Does Not Mean Low Behavioral Changes

Abstract

Environmental enrichment has been widely used to improve conditions for nonhuman animals in captivity. However, there is no consensus about the best way to evaluate the success of enrichments. This study evaluated whether the proportion of time spent interacting with enrichments indicated the proportion of overall behavioral changes. Six environmental enrichments were introduced in succession to 16 captive macaws, and interaction of the animals with them as well as the behaviors of the group were recorded before and during the enrichments. All of the enrichments affected the proportions of time spent in different behaviors. Macaws interacted more with certain items (hibiscus and food tree) than with others (a toy or swings and stairs), but introduction of the enrichments that invoked the least interaction caused as many behavioral changes as those that invoked the most. Moreover, feeding behavior was only affected by the enrichment that invoked the least interaction, a change not detected by a general analysis of enrichment effects. In conclusion, little interaction with enrichment does not mean little change in behavior, and the effects of enrichments are more complex than previously considered.

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

“…Furthermore, most studies investigating the efficacy of foraging enrichment on captive avian species are performed on individually housed subjects (Meehan et al, ; Rozeck et al, 2010; van Zeeland, Schoemaker, Ravesteijn, Mol, & Lumeij, ) or pairs (van Hoek & King, ). One study on the effect of foraging enrichment on a group of captive macaws observed marked behavioral changes (Reimer, Maia, & Santos, ), but not in relation to improving foraging times or mediating abnormal behaviors. Thus, the efficacy of foraging enrichment strategies for group‐housed birds in zoos requires further scrutiny.…”

Influence of environmental enrichment on the behavioral variables of caged Hyacinth Macaws (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus)

“…With the increase in "eating" behavior and "interaction with enrichment," we can see that there was also a significant increase in "preening" behavior wherein, according to Reimer et al (2016), a possible explanation for the increase in maintenance behavior is that the animals may have cleaned themselves after interacting with enrichments.…”

“…According to the Blue Macaw Institute (Guedes 2015), the reproduction period in Brazil of this species is typically from September to February, where the behavior of the animals is altered by the increase of socio-sexual behaviors, and the need for nesting and care of the chicks. As in the work of Reimer et al (2016), we also took care of performing our behavioral analysis outside the reproductive season, so that we do not influence behavioral changes due to breeding season. We observed that the "interaction between the couple" did not suggest alterations in regard to the environmental stimuli, and perhaps this can be explained by the fact that the project was carried out outside the reproductive season of the animals, in which seeking close proximity is less evident.…”

“…The literature is still somewhat scarce when it comes to the study of abnormal behavior and/or specific stereotypes of birds in captivity. Nevertheless, observations of plucking feathers, pecking on cages/walls, and constantly shaking the head/body have been reported (Garner et al 2006;Clyvia et al 2015;Azevedo et al 2016;Reimer et al 2016;de Almeida et al 2018), especially in Psittacidae. To cope with this, a major captivity-management challenge has been the development of an environmental enrichment program.…”

Investigating the Effect of Enrichment on the Behavior of Zoo-Housed Southern Ground Hornbills

“…Parrots (family Psittacidae) are a good example; birds in this family are typically intelligent, capable problem-solvers who live long lives. Where enrichment or social groups are not provided, feather-plucking and stereotyped behavior commonly occur [3]. Fortunately, enrichment has been well studied for the Psittacidae, and as a result, animal keepers have several effective strategies available to reduce the prevalence of stereotypy [1][2][3].…”