Pet Bird Behavior and Misbehavior

If you think men are from Mars and women are from Venus, imagine where birds are from. Not only is a bird owner required to feed and care for his pet, he must also read the bird's mind and try to understand why she behaves or misbehaves. However, there are clues to help you understand what makes birds tick and how to interact with them.

Much as with children, normal behavior in birds can go awry as a result of physical or psychological difficulties, or just plain boredom. For example, if your bird is bored and lonely, she may scream for attention. Your bird thrives on interaction with the 'flock,' and her flock is you! Being a flock is a lot of work, but learning the ropes can be quite rewarding.

Why Birds Misbehave

Because parrots are intelligent, they are easily bored and express their frustration in a variety of ways. In addition to screaming, other indications of boredom include biting, fits of jealousy, feather-picking, overeating, refusing to eat and destroying objects within reach. During out-of-cage time, she may attack the furniture, woodwork, telephone cord, computer keyboards or any other object she can sink her beak into.

Parrots are social creatures, and they need to be included in the activities of the human flock. Bonding with a favorite human is important. You are the master of the flock, and it's up to you to set boundaries and provide opportunities for exercise, play and mental stimulation. Isolation can turn a potentially wonderful pet bird into either a screeching, biting menace or a quiet, obsessed feather picker.

Food for Thought

A varied and nutritious diet can also influence behavior. Include interesting and challenging foods like corn on the cob, unshelled peas and nuts. Many single pet budgies without out-of-cage time for exercising and socializing will spend their days overeating, particularly fattening seeds and treats. The addition of fresh fruits and vegetables will keep those little beaks busy while providing in-cage exercise.

Some of the budgie's larger cousins tend to undereat or feather-pick when bored. Give larger parrots stimulating fresh foods on a birdie kabob, a skewer for serving large pieces of fresh foods, and make sure you provide a wide variety of choices for the food cup. Varying the diet and presentation will stimulate a new interest in eating.

Overstimulation

Just as a child can become too overwhelmed at his birthday party, your parrot may wiggle away from an extended head scratch, back rub or cuddle session. She may either tire of the attention and want to move on to something else or may have to go potty. If you don't react in time to her need to eliminate, you may have droppings on your furniture, carpet, clothing or hand. When she squirms, put her in the cage or on some paper provided for the occasion. You can always try playing again when she's finished!

Despite your efforts, your parrot may eventually become restless and bored with toys and games. She'll want something else to do like explore the out-of-cage environment, eat or take a drink. If you don't pay attention to the mood swings, your cranky bird may move on to biting as a signal that it's time to do something else.

Boredom has a profound effect on your bird's overall well-being. If you've made the effort to keep her from being bored, but the undesired behavior persists, it is important you look in other areas of her life to discover what's causing the problem.

Screaming

Parrots are verbal creatures with voices that vary from pleasant whistles to raucous screeches and screams. Normal screaming occurs when the bird greets the morning, when she is ready to roost at night, when she is frightened or in pain, when hormones surge at breeding time and even when she's just plain happy.

Just as parents must learn with infants, a parrot owner must quickly learn to differentiate normal screaming from a learned behavior. Screaming frequently may indicate hunger, thirst, boredom, loneliness, fear, stress, fatigue, a reaction to the owner's stress or a lack of toys.

Screaming may also be an attempt to copy another bird or a behavior that has been unwittingly rewarded in the past by a novice owner.

Screaming, often combined with other undesirable behaviors such as biting or jealousy, can be prevented once the cause is discovered. To determine the reasons for this ear-shattering behavior, you should examine your bird's environment, her state of physical and psychological well being, the way she is handled, whether her nutritional needs are being met, whether she has been spoiled by too much attention or if a change in the bird's or family's life has drastically disrupted her routine.

If you need help with behavior modification, document when the screaming occurs and report your findings when you take your bird to see an avian vet or bird behaviorist.

Biting

For bird owners, biting is probably the most fearsome bird behavior. A little budgie beak is capable of piercing a hole in a finger, lip or earlobe. The thought of a bite by a conure, Amazon, cockatoo or macaw can certainly cause even the most unflinching owner to shudder.

There are a number of reasons why parrots bite, most involving the owner's behavior. For example, birds will usually bite when they feel threatened by a fearful owner who, at the approach of that formidable beak, jumps back waving arms, hands and fingers.

An otherwise docile bird may bite if disturbed while eating, bathing, playing or sleeping. Biting is a way to let others know she does not want their attention. Other reasons for a biting reaction may include changes in the environment; an invasion of the bird's territory; a lack of trust of the owner, family members or strangers; sudden movements, noises or vibrations; neglect or abuse including hitting and isolating; a lack of guidance; insufficient social interaction; improper nutrition or care; a separation from a human or feathered mate; and hormonal changes during the breeding season.

Young birds going through an explore-the-environment stage use their sensitive beaks to taste and 'feel' humans and objects and to help them keep their balance when they are climbing or stepping up to something. The best way to handle the little 'toddler' is to avoid the beak, but if it does get a hold of you, gently remove your finger. Be forewarned that innocent beak explorations in the form of nibbling may, if encouraged, grow into full-fledged biting as the bird grows older.

In order to prevent biting, you must learn to read the bird's body language and understand her personality and moods. It's important not to engage in negative reinforcement by shouting in pain, screaming or hitting the bird. These actions will make your bird think you are playing a game of 'I Bite/You Dramatize.' Biting can also be discouraged with the use of a calm 'no' command and by providing foot toys, chew toys or a piece of vegetable or fruit. Brief timeout periods in the cage, followed by attention and a reward such as a head scratch or a treat, may also be effective.

Feather Picking or Self-Mutilation

Feather picking and self-mutilation are behaviors exclusive to pet birds. Normally, birds will pull out a couple of feathers here and there when they are preening or molting. However, when birds carry this to an extreme by chewing off breast, wing or tail feathers, the behavior must be stopped before it becomes an obsessive habit. Continued feather plucking will eventually damage the feather follicles and stop the growth of normal, healthy feathers.

Cockatoos, African grays, macaws, conures, Timneh parrots and Amazons are prone to feather picking. They sometimes carry the activity one step further to self-mutilation by chewing on the legs, feet or skin to create rather nasty, bloody messes ripe for infection.

Parrots may develop this behavior for either medical or psychological reasons. These include changes in hormone levels, malnutrition, external or internal parasites, bacterial or fungal infections of the skin or feather follicles, Psittacine beak and feather disease, environmental stress, nervousness, sudden temperature changes, insufficient sleep, lack of bathing time, not enough playtime, too small of a cage, incorrect cage location, isolation, boredom, lack of physical activity and exercise, inappropriate handling, insufficient light, constant fear and constant fear of danger from other pets.

A cure or prevention should begin with an examination by an avian vet. You need to keep a good record of your bird's feather picking and self-mutilation habits as well as the circumstances surrounding each incident. Take note of your bird's overall psychological condition and examine her environment with an eye for what might be improved.

Routines are important for your bird and should be followed as closely as possible. Make sure your bird gets enough sleep and good nutrition. Provide the opportunity for frequent bathing. Give your bird quality time for play and cuddling every day, offering her a variety of chew toys.

Regurgitation

Regurgitation, or bringing up undigested food from the crop (a saclike enlargement of a bird's gullet in which food is stored before digestion) and attempting to feed a favorite human, mirror or toy is a common behavior. This behavior is similar to when a cat brings home a prized dead mouse for its owner. What people perceive as disgusting is the highest honor their bird can bestow. It is the avian way of expressing love and affection to their human mate, just as it is part of normal courtship and breeding behavior between birds.

If your bird regurgitates on you, accept it graciously and don't confuse your amorous 'mate' by expressing your disgust.

Since regurgitation is more likely to occur during breeding season when hormones are raging, it is best not to arouse your parrot by stroking her abdomen, neck or back. Be prepared to receive this precious gift if your bird begins to bob her head, pump her crop and neck muscles, and pin her eyes (narrow and dilate her pupils rather quickly). One good strategy to prevent regurgitation is to distract her with a game or toy.

Regurgitation directed at a toy or mirror, accompanied by rubbing against the object, signals an attempt at mating. Budgies are famous for this since they think their reflection is another bird. Removing the object of your bird's affection can easily prevent this behavior.

Frequent regurgitation could be a sign of illness, such as a crop or upper digestive tract infection. If the behavior persists, you should take your bird in to see an avian vet.

Inexperienced bird owners frequently mistake regurgitation for vomiting, a forceful expulsion of the crop contents. If the cage, the walls and the bird are sticky with vomit, it is likely she has become ill with poisoning from zinc, lead or another toxic substance, has a gastrointestinal disorder or has ingested a foreign object. Take the bird to the avian vet immediately.

Night Frights

Cockatiels, cockatoos and macaws frequently experience night frights, also common among small children, when startled from sleep by a loud noise, vibration or sudden movement, or simply for an unidentifiable reason. Your startled bird may try to take flight, fall off her perch, thrash around the cage or bang against the cage bars, toys and feeders. She may become injured, bleed from pulled feathers, bruise her wing tips, feet, chest or abdomen, go into shock and even sustain internal injuries. When night frights occur, try to calm your bird. Stop any bleeding with styptic powder and call your avian vet for advice.

To circumvent injuries due to night frights, try placing a small night light near the cage or in the aviary so your bird can see where she is during this episode. Or, place an air purifier in the room to drown out potentially frightening noises. You can also provide a small, toy-free sleeping cage to reduce the possibility of injury. To lessen the chance of injury, place a towel on the bottom and lower sides of the cage to cushion the impact of a fall or from thrashing about.

Seizures

Seizures are sometimes mistaken for night frights. In fact, they are symptomatic of more serious, life-threatening problems such as lead or zinc poisoning, head trauma, epilepsy, infection or diet deficiency.

Following a seizure, your bird will look dazed and extremely tired. She will usually sit on the bottom of the cage or on a low perch for a prolonged period of time. You should keep it quiet in a toy-free, covered cage. After treating any bleeding from pulled feathers, take your bird to the avian vet for immediate evaluation.

Nurturing Intervention

As a bird owner, you'll need to become familiar with your parrot's body language, moods, likes, dislikes and personality traits. This will help you to discern behavioral changes and determine the reasons for them, and recognize you may inadvertently be causing or encouraging undesirable behaviors.

Never punish your bird, as she cannot make the connection between the crime and the punishment. For example, screaming at a screaming bird can actually encourage her to scream more, if only for the attention she receives. You should never hit a bird. Hitting or grabbing a bird's beak causes the bird to respond aggressively, fostering fear and distrust.

To help control inappropriate behaviors, let your bird know you will both love and protect her. Once you have gained the bird's trust and affection, she will begin to bond with you. This opens the gate to easy handling, learning commands, verbal interaction in both human and parrot language, and successful behavior modification.

Play Toys

Parrots, like children, need play activities to exercise and strengthen the body, burn energy, stimulate intellectual activity and for fun and entertainment. They must also learn to play by themselves, substituting the wild bird's instincts for flight, flock interaction and foraging for food with caged bird alternatives. Some safe toys readily available in your home include paper cups, cardboard rolls from toilet paper and paper towels (ideal chewing toys for Amazons, macaws and African grays) and uncooked pasta strung on vegetable-tanned leather strips.

Retail bird toys include blocks of wood with unshelled nuts or seed treat sticks inside, wooden blocks with rope and leather knots strung through them, wooden ladders and barbells, natural ropes and branches, zinc and lead-free chains, swings with wooden beads, nylon or acrylic keys or rings, hanging toys with zinc-free and lead-free bells, shapes made out of plain or vegetable-dyed soft woods or pieces of hide and leather strung on rope.

More complex toys include a mix of branches, rope, wooden beads and blocks, hide, leather, parrot cookies, pieces of cholla and manzanita wood and chains. These provide your parrot with decision-making opportunities and hours of mental and physical stimulation as she figures out how to take her toy apart.

To avoid tragedies such as lead or zinc poisoning, cut tongues, beak or foot injuries, strangulation or infection, toys must have lead-free and zinc-free links to attach them to the cage. Check your bird's toys frequently and remove them from her cage if cotton rope is frayed or sagging. If your bird has made holes that could trap a foot, beak or neck, or if the toy is covered with food residue or droppings, discard or clean the toys immediately.

Toys should be selected according to the size of the bird to avoid injuries caused by toy parts that are too large or too small. Avoid toys made with loose-linked chains, jingle bells, and metal parts that are not lead-free or zinc-free, such as bells with lead clappers; weighted toys containing lead, locks, nuts and bolts that may contain zinc or other heavy metals; eye screws that can be swallowed or caught in the mouth; and objects made from brittle plastic that can easily be broken into sharp-edges.

Naturally, if your bird shows no interest in a toy, or clearly dislikes it, take it away.

Play Activities

There are many interactive games people can play with their pet birds. Playing these games encourages trust, strengthens parrot/human communication, helps your bird release energy in a non-destructive way and gives you the opportunity to spend quality time with your little feathered bundle of energy.

Games

The Blinking Game: First establish eye contact, then close your eyes and the bird will copy you. Birds will generally blink whenever their human playmate does and sometimes will do it first to initiate play.

Peek-A-Boo: When a person leaves the room, a bird will normally stretch its neck to see where he went. To play, peek around the door so your bird sees you again. This game is also fun as an out-of-cage activity. Place a towel or light cage cover over your head. Your bird may burrow under it or pull it off entirely. Or place a cover over your bird and reward her with a cuddle or head scratch when she peeks out.

Yoo-Hoo: This game is fun when you are somewhere else in the house. Teach your bird to cry 'yoo-hoo' or 'hi there,' and you whistle or call back. This can also help teach your bird to whistle or speak, rather than scream, when she wants attention.

Drop-and-Pick-Up: Much like toddlers, birds love to repeatedly drop a toy and watch you retrieve it.

Tug-O-War: Take a towel and allow your bird to grab an end and pull while you gently pull on the other end. Allow your pet to win a few times so she doesn't develop aggressive behavior. If you have a shy bird, the odds of winning should be in her favor.

Upside-Down Game: Some birds enjoy hanging upside-down from the top of the cage or from a perch, often while holding an object such as a wooden barbell in its mouth. Your bird may become so expert she can hang upside-down from your finger while twisting her body around. Reward this fine trick with high praise, a good neck and head scratch or a piece of fruit.

Games are most successful if they are designed according to your bird's personality and favorite solo activities. Your bird may graduate from simple games to more complex tricks such as shaking hands, playing basketball, riding toys and playing dead. Parrots can also become great talkers and wonderful dancing and singing partners. Some like jazz or golden oldies music while others prefer Viennese waltzes or a bit of Mozart.

Obviously, it takes time, understanding and patience for birds and humans to learn to play together successfully. Take the time to observe your bird's individual behavior and learn the essentials of training and handling. This effort will result in hours of fun and laughs for both you and your bird.