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Handling aggression

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The tests to score handling aggression are conducted within two minutes after the capture of the birds. The handler needs to hold the bird upright, head up, with the back of the bird facing the handler (Fig. A). The handler needs to hold the bird with one hand, placing the legs between his forefinger, middle finger, and thumb to let the bird move its tail and wings. With the forefinger of the other hand, the handler needs to point at a spot about two or three centimetres in from of the bird’s beak and note whether the bird struck at its finger and the position of the wings and tail. Then after two seconds in this position, the handler needs to move its finger towards the bird’s beak two or three times and record its reaction (Table 1).

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Figure A. Position of the handler during the test. © A. Caizergues

Warnings :     

 - do not confuse a bird who wants to escape with a score 3.     

 - do not take into account the pain resulting from the bites.     

 - do not move; set in a quiet place to avoid perturbation around you when you do the test   

  - sometimes birds have no reaction in step 1 but a strong reaction in step 2. Then score it as a 2.

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Table 1. Bird handling aggression scale, from Caizergues 2922. AnimEcol

Examples of the tests

Score= 0

Score= 0.5

Score= 1

Score= 1.5

Score= 2

Score= 2.5

Score= 3

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