BIRD BEHAVIOR

CREATED BY :
Irma Erviana
071 404 166
 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

Every time we interact with our bird, we affect its behavior, that is, we
influence its behavior. Sometimes this is positive, sometimes negative. At times, we
do this with intention, many times not. But most certainly, we do affect its behavior.
Understanding bird behavior may appear to be easier than it is. It is based on
interpreting the birds' instincts and natural habits. Many parrot owners experience
the reoccurring problem of misinterpreting their bird's behavior. They credit their
birds with having the same intelligence and behavioral characteristics as human
beings.
Bird behavior refers to the actions of a bird in response to environmental
situations. Some bird behavior is instinctive, whilst other behavior is learned.
Behavior includes caring for itself, feeding and interaction with others (birds,
humans, other animals). To develop a happy and satisfying relationship with your
pet bird it is important to understand its behavior. Birds view people as part of their
flock and therefore act accordingly. Dominant behavior by birds is displayed when
the bird believes it is head of the pecking order. It is thus very important to establish
the pecking order with your bird as the subordinate. A dominant bird may develop
“bad” behavior such as biting or screeching. It may feel it needs to defend its
territory against disliked people and attack them. Such behavior by birds can be
avoided by keeping the top of the bird’s head level with your chest. Do not allow it
to perch above you or on your shoulder as this encourages dominant behavior. Bird
behavior can often be interpreted, much like a foreign language. Tongue clicking is
an invitation to interact. Grinding of the beak indicates contentment. Panting is a
sign that a bird is overheated or perhaps uncomfortable. A sharp flick of the wings
demonstrates annoyance. Observe your pet bird’s behavior carefully and you will
gain much insight into its state of mind and general well-being.
 When teaching a bird a behavior, many humans use the same methods they
would use to train the family dog. This method in many cases is based on
dominance, a negative reinforce. Birds, like cats, respond best to positive
reinforcement. The most rewarding approach for trainers and bird alike is to
encourage the bird to learn the desired behavior using positive reinforcement.
Dominance has very little use in bird training. Training a desirable bird behavior is
a bit more difficult than just giving a bird a treat when it does something right.
There are some key elements that are important in training new behaviors.
 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION

An animal which observed are pigeons and doves, in below we can see the
behaviors of pigeon.
1. Courtship Behavior

bowing 
The male puffs out his neck feathers. He lowers his head and bows several
times while he circles a female.

tail-dragging 
The male spreads his tail and runs after the female, dragging his tail on the
ground.

driving 
The male runs close behind a female, to move her away from other males.

billing 
The female puts her bill (beak) inside the male's bill. Then the two birds move
together in rhythm, bobbing their heads up and down. Billing happens just
before mating.

mating 
The female bends down and the male climbs on top of her. He will flap his
wings to keep his balance. The male stays on the female for a few seconds.

 
 display flight 
After mating, the
male flies up and
claps his wings
together over his
back. This makes a
clapping sound.

2. Feeding Behavior
Bird feeding behavior may change due to temperature, season and time of
day. This is especially evident in the feeding behavior of garden birds. In winter
they are more likely to make use of bird feeders due to a lack of natural food
sources. Your pet bird may begin bobbing his/her head when hungry or excited by
the prospect of being fed. Many birds expect to be fed at a certain time every day.
Some species are very messy feeders and feed with great enthusiasm.
3. Defecation Behavior
Defecation is the final act of digestion by which organisms eliminate solid,
semisolid or liquid waste material (feces) from the digestive tract via the cloacae.
Like many fruit-eating birds, these species have a relatively simple digestive tract,
so that the seed passes through the bird rather quickly. In the bird defecation usually
occurs 4-12 minutes after ingestion. Even so, the bird digests a significant amount
of glucose from the sticky layer, which is still intact when the seed is defecated. The
seeds therefore emerge from the bird intact and undamaged. The mistletoe bird
performs a number of twisting movements when defecating, wiping the seeds on to
the branch on which the bird is perched, rather than dropping them to the ground.
The sticky layer dries and cements the seed in place on the branch, where it
germinates spontaneously. It is thought that there are germination inhibitors in the
fruit coat which prevent premature germination before ingestion. The mistletoe
plant and the mistletoe bird thus show complementary adaptations for mutual
benefit, the plant attaining efficient dispersal and the bird ensuring a continuing
food supply.
4. Social Behavior
Sea birds often gather in huge colonies to nest and to rear young. Land
birds, except for birds such as starlings and rooks, tend to seek isolation for rearing
their brood. Birds that isolate during breeding may congregate for migration or
feeding.
There are many advantages for flocking together:
a. mutual protection from enemies,
b. greater ease in finding mates,
c. less opportunity for an individual straying during migration and
d. mass huddling for protection against low night temperatures during migration
Organized social interactions of birds are most noticeable during breeding
season; they stake out territory, select mates, build nests, incubate and hatch eggs,
and rear young. Sometimes social behavior is exhibited by groups of males or
females during the breeding season. In some cases, males may band together and try
to chase the dominant male away so they have a better chance of mating success. In
other instances, males are known to cooperate in making their courtship displays.
Birds often perform their courtship display in pairs, even though only one of the
turkeys ends up doing most of the mating. Why would the unsuccessful male agree
to help? The two male pigeons are usually brothers. Since brothers share about 50
percent of the same genes, even if only one brother mates, many of the genes of the
unsuccessful brother are passed on too. In some species, the females form social
groups during the breeding season. In certain circumstances, females will look after
one another's offspring while the other mother goes out to find food.
In other species, such as lemurs, females may form social groups as a kind
of defense. Males of some lemur species will try to kill the offspring of females that
mated with another male. By banding together, the females are sometimes able to
ward off the attacking male. Many animals form social groups only during certain
times of the year. Many bird species flock together in foraging groups in the winter.
However, these same birds that sought one another out in the winter set up breeding
territories in the spring and will go to great lengths to keep the same birds out of
their territory. Thus, for many species, social behavior is a flexible form of animal
behavior, one that can be adopted or abandoned depending on the conditions of the
environment and the time of year.
5. Sexual Behavior
Male bird sperm is produced in two testes that lie beneath the kidneys.
Sperm passes through small tubes called Vasa differentia into the males cloaca.
During mating the male presses his cloaca to the females and releases sperm.
Females single ovary releases eggs into a long, funnel-shaped oviduct where they
are fertilized by sperm.
6. Nesting and Care of Young
Nearly all birds lay eggs that must be incubated by one or both parents. Eggs
of most songbirds require 14 days for hatching; those of ducks and geese may
require a month. Often the female performs most of the duties of incubation; rarely
the male has equal or sole duties. Some birds merely lay eggs on bare ground or
rocks. Others build elaborate nests using mud, lichens, brush, etc. Nests are often
carefully concealed from enemies.
 CHAPTER III
OBSERVATION METHOD

A. Time and Place

Day / Date : Saturday / April 17th, 2010
Time : 04.10 pm until 06.00 pm.
Place : Social Building in Bantimurung, Maros.
B. Tool and Material
1. Tools :
a. Pen
b. Book
c. Camera
. 2. Material :
Pigeon
C. Picture
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Anonimc. 2010.
http://www.strombergschickens.com/stock/beginning_
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Anonimd. 2010. http://psychclassics.asu.edu/Skinner/Pigeon/

Anonime. 2010. http://ux.brookdalecc.edu/staff/sandyhook/dgrant/field/wading.htm

Anonimf. 2010. http://www.indiana.edu/~aviary/Research.htm