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Be careful Pamela Ive said the same thing before and alot of people disagreed . They posted an article from someone that said there is no such thing as the highest bird being the dominant one in the wild But I agree with you, Ive seen a bird get to the top of the curtains and argue when you try to get them down. But if you get on a chair and get as high as them and tell them to step up they will obey. I raise Our B&G Josie from a baby. She is a Daddys girl .My wife makes an effort to talk to her and interreact with her when Im not in the room , for the last 2 years. Now some times Josie will call for her and wants to play when Im not at home. Then other times when Im with Josie and my wife walks in, Josie will go for her as to scare her away. My wife starts signing her hip ity hop song and dance and before you know it Josie will start her own hoping dance and the situation is defused. And if Im lucky my wife will give me a kiss and then gives one too Josie then leaves the room.

It's possible, though i am no behaviorist, they like the high perches cause they feel safe there. Maybe they don't want to come down because of safety reasons, although even they may be safe, they still like to take their safety in their hands. But that is just my opinions.
I'm still confused what is a treatise?

Thanks Pamela, my name is also Pam. The bird is a male. I had him sexed by a vet and saw his birdy ball. His name is Sabastian so that is where my site name Sabby comes from.

I have to laugh Mark. I am a retired breeder of over fourteen years, and been around birds for almost twenty years. And the bird world has changed so much. I have heard the lectures of some of the best behaviorists and the oldest and best breeders, whose advice I count as the most to be taken seriously. And one of the oldest advices was always keep your bird at chest level. Never on your shoulder or in your face. I am one of the original Tooville members and I can not count how many times we have said to newbies, "DO NOT PUT YOUR BIRD ON YOUR SHOULDER and always keep the bird at chest level. I have been away from the bird world for a couple of years and am just coming back into it. I love birds and it really gets to me, some of the ignorance of some. I have a zoo around the corner from me and they have a couple of pairs of large macaws. In their outside flights, which is made up of chain link, the keepers have only supplied old branchs for them. The B&G pair like to hang on the side of their flight and chew on the chain link. I have offered to buy them toys, but the main care keeper said NO. It bothers me to see them and know what they are injesting, but I have no say. From what I gather, this keeper has been their caregiver for a lot of years. Some would think of him as an expert, but in my eyes, he is missing a big point. Those poor birds need toys. I have been working with birds for a long time and I am no expert. I look to those who have blazed the trail before me for advice and knowledge and then I look at the mistakes I have made over the years and learned valuable lessons from them. I have realized that everyone makes mistakes and hopefully they learn from them. I still say though, Keep the birds out of your face, off your shoulders and at chest level. Love your fids and remember they are dependant on you.

Sabby I live in Racine wisconsin we have 6 soon to be 7 Macaws, some for over 20 years now. I find that the hens are always in a sweet mood but the cocks get very hormonal in late fall and it lasts untill spring when they get more resonable. I almost dicided to breed them but nah to many need good homes now I dont need to ad to the problem. My male birds are fine up to about the age of 7 years when they would start to act out and get nippy just like the more firey types of Amazons. this is seasonal ok

Thanks for all the suggestions. Sabastian is getting a little better. I can get him out of the cage to put him on this play perch and tonight I could take him from my hubby which is a big step. He would always hiss at me when I would walk by them.

YEA Sabastian sat on the chair with me tonight without taking a piece out of me. This has not happened in 2 months. He must have forgiven me. Or maybe male PMS is now done. Hubby says that he isn't as nippy with him now.

High again I better point out to you folks that with large parrots that are nippy you never offer your hand to them in any other way but this. make a fist and hold your fist tight with the back of your hand to them and the fingers are tucked in and down or you can get snapped bones in your finger and hand, stiches oh yah. But keep the fist tight and they can't hurt you. Every year most of your Male Macaws will get testy over winter but they get over it when their hormons get back to normal. Still this is why so many are GIVEN AWAY free.