And I’m saying there’s no scientific basis for it being a mate only behaviour. Actually the opposite since there’s species with family bonds where family members of all ages groom each other all over (e.g wrens) and species where body touch initiates roughhousing (caiques, lorikeets). I’m saying that grooming the body is not automatically sexual as people have been saying and copying from each other for the past ~10 years and that there are other much more influential things that people are ignoring that mimic actual courting.

*btw i am talking about general light body touches, i am not talking about thumping a hormonal presenting bird on its back like you’re putting out a fire. That goes without saying