Chickens Can Blush When They're Feeling Emotional, And We Should Pay Attention [View all]

30 April 2024
By TESSA KOUMOUNDOUROS

Along with a disgruntled squark, some chickens also blush when you swoop down and scoop them up. A new study suggests that as in humans, this facial skin redness is an indication of an aroused emotional response.

Previous research has demonstrated facial redness can indicate arousal states in birds like macaws and vultures, so University of Tours ethologist Delphine Soulet and colleagues examined this trait to see if it's also an indicator of emotional states in chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus).

With the aid of thousands of stills taken from footage of the chickens, and a specially-designed algorithm the researchers analyzed the level of redness of their comb, cheek, ear lobe, and wattle (the dangly, under-chin skin flaps) during these different scenarios.

"Although our findings are preliminary due to a small sample size," explain Soulet and team, "they hint that less redness in the cheek and ear lobes may indicate calm and contentment states."

In contrast, more facial redness appears to indicate higher emotional arousal, including excitement when encountering a favored food like mealworms, or fear.

More:
https://www.sciencealert.com/chickens-can-blush-when-theyre-feeling-emotional-and-we-should-pay-attention