Allopreening



(AL-low-preen-ing). Mutual preening between two birds, the main purpose of which is to reduce the instinctive aggression when birds are in close contact. In the breeding season, allopreening helps to strengthen the pair bond between the male and female. This behaviour is especially common in parrots (Psittaciformes) and the estrildid finches (Estrildidae); or when a bird preens the feathers of another, usually its mate, also called "mutual preening".

Birds observed allopreening

 * Spot-breasted Heleia, Heleia muelleri: flock members perform allopreening.
 * Crested Caracara and Southern Caracara, and Black Vultures: Allopreening between different bird species has rarely been reported in nature (Harrison 1969) but there are at least two published records regarding American Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) preening both the Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) and the Southern Caracara (C. plancus), in Texas, USA (David & Jesperson 1984) and in Mato Grosso, Brazil (Souto et al. 2009) respectively.