upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Ok, I thought this might be an interesting thread--do you ever wonder why your bird does some of the strange or silly things they do? I figured we could pool our minds here, and answer eachothers questions about their behavior

So I guess I will start... Bubba does the strangest thing when he is waddling around on the floor. He will peck the carpeting and then put his ear to the ground as if he was listening for somthing. I have absolutely no clue what he is doing! Anyone else's babies do this? What does it mean?

-Jackie and Bubba

Casper pecks on the floor sometimes too when she is walking around. Are you sure he is putting his head to the floor or is he just close? Not sure, maybe he is just looking at something on the floor???

Or, is it possible that he is listening? Do you live upstairs? Is there noise downstairs?

my kids always peck at the floor and carpet when walking around. Which makes sence as cockertiel's are forigers. it's funny as when they get going yhey walk in a line

I would take a stab at that as being a hunting behavior, perhaps going to the time they would have listened for bugs moving about as they do eat small bugs in the wild. The other thing is, he might see something we can't see, then try to see if it makes any noise. I suppose it could be anything from that to maybe just some kind of display, or play.

I'll add to this with one by Smokey. He'll be sitting on a perch in the cage, and if there is a string or thread from a chew-toy, he will preen that one individual thread or grass thingy or whatever it's made of, then raise his wing and preen a feather under his wing. It's almost like he's putting his scent on the thread. Many times I've seen him rub his uropygial gland, get a good head full of oil, then do the same thing to a single thread.

Sam - Sherwin does the same thing as far as preening a single string from a toy. He starts at the top and goes all the way to the end only to repeat several times. I actually noticed a toy in PetSmart several months ago that was called a bird pacifier and it was made up of numerous strands of what looked like fishing line. It was for that very purpose....preening.

Another thing that he does is roll his tongue. If he sees me eating something he will start rolling his tongue.

I never thought of it being hunting behavior! He does really put his ear to the ground... even to the point that he crouches his body as close as he can to the floor and he listens... it is just strange?! It is kinda like "knock, knock", and listens for someone to tap back! Thanks for the info

As for the preening, I'm not so sure about that, especially because Smokey is with other birds, isn't he? you would think he would be more interested in preening someone who could preen him back ha ha ha.

Smokey has a strange personality. He's essentially a loner, and has been ever since I've had him, but he has a crush on Missy, but when it comes to mutual preening, he's all thumbs. He apparently bites or pulls feathers so hard, Missy will scream at him and try to bite him back. She will not preen him, but she preens Gizmo. If Missy leaves the room with me though, Smokey will start chirping or screaming for Missy, and vice-versa. They definitely are a concerned flock, but Smokey is more than content to sit by himself and doze or play with a threaded toy. He also won't eat with anyone else. The only time he will eat is when everyone else is out of the cage. As I said, he's a weird little critter, but is a charm by looks, and he's very slowly getting better about being social.