Birds Do It Too: New Study Says Masturbation In Animals Is More Common Than We Think

Key points

• Birds Do It Too: New Study Says Masturbation In Animals Is More Common Than We Think Published By, Last Updated: June 04, 2026, 04:27 IST Researchers found that masturbation is widespread among birds and should be viewed as a natural and healthy part of their sexual behaviour.
• Rapid Read The findings showed that masturbation occurs across a wide range of bird species and among both sexes.
• In societies where masturbation is often surrounded by stigma and misconceptions, a new scientific study is challenging long-held taboos — not among humans, but in the animal kingdom.
• Researchers have found that masturbation is widespread among birds and should be viewed as a natural and healthy part of their sexual behaviour rather than an abnormal response to captivity or stress.
• The study, led by Chloe Heys of the University of Lancashire and co-authored by researchers from the University of Oxford, Swansea University and the...