Are there any species of bird that hiccup? If so, why would they do this?
Richard Jones, Avian Veterinary Services, Northwich, Cheshire, UK
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Hiccups are caused by involuntary contractions of the diaphragm. Birds don’t have a diaphragm, so it is technically impossible for a bird to hiccup in this manner.
Birds’ lungs don’t expand and contract as they do in mammals. They are essentially a pair of spongy structures that are ventilated by a series of air sacs. When the bird “breathes in”, the intercostal muscles between its ribs raise the sternum to suck air into the air sacs. I haven’t come across hiccup-like spasms in birds, but I suppose it could be possible for an involuntary spasm of the intercostal muscles to result in the avian equivalent.
However, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if a parrot mimicked a human hiccup. I have seen many parrots – usually grey parrots – that seem to have nasty coughs when, clinically, they are absolutely fine. Then I hear an identical cough coming from the owner in the waiting room…
“I wouldn’t be surprised if parrots could mimic a human hiccup. I have seen many that imitate their owner’s cough”
Nina Dougall, Malmsbury, Victoria, Australia
I have kept domestic hens for years and have noticed that they often appear to hiccup after eating large amounts of food too quickly.
Luce Gilmore, Cambridge, UK
Sage grouse make hiccup-like noises, but do so voluntarily in a “lekking” courtship display, because other grouse find it sexy.
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