In a new study, researchers from Japan have found that birds, just like mammals, are capable of catching yawns. This is the first study to show that birds are susceptible to contagious yawning, a phenomenon that has previously only been observed in mammals.

The researchers conducted their study on a group of 21 budgerigars, small parrots that are native to Australia. They found that when one budgerigar yawned, there was a significantly increased chance that another budgerigar would yawn within the next 3 minutes. This suggests that budgerigars are able to catch yawns from each other, just like humans and other mammals.

The researchers believe that contagious yawning in birds may have evolved as a way to strengthen social bonds. When birds yawn, they release endorphins, which are hormones that have calming and bonding effects. By catching yawns from each other, birds may be able to create a sense of connection and reduce social stress.

The findings of this study provide new insights into the evolution of contagious yawning and suggest that this behavior may be more widespread in the animal kingdom than previously thought. Further research is needed to investigate whether other bird species are also capable of catching yawns and to explore the possible functions of contagious yawning in birds.