Myiopsitta monk
Test the waters first so there is no confusion. Discover the tricks of these little birds that are very common in Portugal.
If you’re having trouble creating new friendships (or keeping them), this article about a fascinating new discovery about budgies-monge it’s for you.
Birds, with a strong presence in Portugal, have developed a simple and effective strategy to explore new terrain in friendship and develop new contacts, a study published in Biology Letters.
Just like us, monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monk) feel vulnerable when approaching strangers. Creating a strong relationship takes time and, for many, a lot of energy.
In our world it doesn’t come to that much at first, but in the wild, choosing these first advances poorly can result in aggression and serious injuries.
Biologists usually analyze the beginning of relationships through the so-called “Raising the Stakes” game, in which two individuals start with small cooperative acts and increase their investment if the other responds, he explains. Claire O’Connellmain author of the study, to .
But the researcher’s team, this time, set out to test something different: a previous phase, which they call “Testing the Waters”, focused on reducing social uncertainty before any real investment.
Groups of wild-caught monk parakeets gathered together in a large flying facility. Some birds we already knew, others were complete strangers. Data on physical proximity between individuals and on social behavior were recorded. grooming and other friendly interactions.
The results show a clear pattern: When strange birds interacted with each other, they almost never came directly for physical contact.. Instead, they followed a consistent sequence, starting from a low-risk proximity, what scientists called “hovering” nearby.
The birds that later ended up becoming “friends” spent significantly more time just being around than those that never developed bonds.
This behavior indicates that “just being around” someone is neither passive nor irrelevant: it is an active selection process, in which the birds evaluate who seems safe and worthy of investment. Birds that were already familiar ignored this protocol, going directly to moderate or high risk behaviors, supported by pre-existing trust.
The findings align with previous studies in , which also suggest a gradual increase in the intensity of interactions with new partners. For O’Connell, the strategy is surprisingly intuitive: start with low-risk interactions, share space, observe behaviors and only then deepen the relationship.
In a context where is often described as a modern epidemic, the authors suggest that it’s worth taking inspiration from monk parakeets: approaching slowly, testing the waters and protecting your own well-being could be the key to safer, longer-lasting friendships.
