MOST of us understand that stress in captive birds is a major factor in ill health and premature death. But stress can be difficult to recognise and, equally, it can be difficult to interpret what causes it.
In his book Much Like Us, Norbert Sachser describes scientific experiments carried out in the laboratory especially where, for example, certain hormones can be measured. We can apply a good deal of what he writes about mammals to the birds that we breed and to the birds in our care. He writes:
“Even animals in captivity are often confronted with socially unstable conditions. This happens particularly when the composition of a group constantly changes: the animals
