Bird often have the oddest behaviors that seem to puzzle us, make us laugh and sometimes even question the intelligence of our feathered pet. Hopefully I can shed some light on a few that I am asked most often by our customers:

FLUFFING: For a healthy bird, fluffing is sometimes twofold….release of tension or a prelude to preening. Fluffing can also be an indication of illness. If your pet stays fluffed for an extended period of time, please contact your Veterinarian.

EYE PINNING: Talk about a “roll of the dice”….that is exactly what this one brings. Pinning can mean excitement…fear….aggression….or interest. This is where you know best…..is he pinning because he is happy or ready to remove some flesh! Pay close attention to his behavior so you can read his moods as accurately as possible.

HANGING UPSIDE DOWN: We lovingly refer to this as “bat bird” ….This particular behavior is very common for African Grays, Macaws, Caiques and Conures. Many other species also participate in this odd bat like demonstration. What does it mean? It means your pet is happy, content and quite secure with his surroundings. 

FLYING IN PLACE: Birds that are caged and have their wings trimmed usually will exercise their chest muscles and wings by this behavior. This is a very healthy activity. Sometime you can hold your bird’s feet and encourage them to exercise in this manner.

PICKING ITS’ FEET: Healthy parrots not only groom their feathers, but they also take care of their feet. Sometimes little bits of food get stuck on their feet as well as dead skin. This is a good time to mention that it is very important to check your bird’s feet regularly looking for redness, cracks or calluses. Some heavy bodied birds have red places on the bottoms of their feet caused by perches…… similar to us getting sore spots on the bottoms of our own feet. This is easily avoided by using natural wood perches of different dimensions and shapes.

Next month I will add a few more behaviors which hopefully help all of us better appreciate our little feathered family members.

Hugs

anne