The Impact of Flight Restriction on Behavior, Body Weight, and Health Outcomes in Mandarin Ducks (Aix galericulata)

The impact of flight restriction on the welfare of captive birds has been long debated. We conducted a study of individually identifiable Mandarin ducks (Aix galericulata) in an aviary at the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium to determine whether behavioral differences existed between flighted and flight-restricted individuals. We found that flight status only affected swimming and vocalization behavior, with flighted birds swimming more than flight-restricted birds and flight-restricted birds vocalizing more than flighted birds. Time of day and season exerted strong effects on behavior, with sex being less impactful. There were no differences in body weight, morbidity, or mortality between flighted and flight-restricted birds. Flight and flight attempt behaviors were rare. We conclude that flight restriction results in limited behavioral differences and no effects on health, and thus has minimal, if any, effect on behavioral and health indicators of welfare in this species in an aviary setting.