Clover Plucks...Humans

[shiraartain]

As you may have noticed, I've been avoiding commenting on Chika's thread and letting her manage it herself (except her grammar...I put my foot down on that), but as she seems to be otherwise preoccupied as of late, I'm going to go ahead and ask the question I expected her to bring up. I have been reading it though.

Clover is definitely partial to the twins, tolerating them putting their faces close to her and giving her kisses. This is a bird who was biting like crazy when she first came -real bites, blood and all. One of them has a scar on the nose from a recent bite. At this point, they don't come crying to me anymore, they know what they did wrong. She's also growing used to other members of the family, will fly over to us to investigate if we have food. And, when we're sitting around, she will fly over and start grooming our heads....and then begin yanking hairs out, one by one.

We get her off our heads when we can, but it involves shaking our heads so she flies off. I suspect both birds were chased around and forcibly grabbed a lot before they came to us, as they have a pronounced fear of brooms and hands. Sometimes I'll forget and move my hands quickly for her to step up and get bitten. It does not help that I have fine hairs on my hands and arms, and so if I try to distract her or she miraculously decided to step up....she decided to pluck my hands. I've been watching her behaviour with Lemon closely, but besides the isolated incident where she yanked feathers from his head (feathers grew back, no repeat plucking), neither of them is pluckong- themselves, or one another.

They have plenty of toys, wooden shapes and popsicle sticks and blocks, and wiffle balls with shreddable paper that they like to pull out and destroy.

Any ideas on how to discourage this human plucking behaviour? She gets angry if she figures out what you're doing and will fly back repeatedly...sometimes sneaking up behind on the couch so you don't notice until she already has a strand in her mouth and is running off.

[Pajarita]

Smart cookie, isn't she? Have you tried wearing a cap? Of tucking a small magazine (catalog) in your pocket and putting it in front of her when she goes for your hair? As you can see, my suggestion is, as always, re-direction until they forget about the behavior. It takes time but it works without stress for them or any negative side-effect.

[Wolf]

I have never heard of a bird doing this before. The bird is not only smart but also innovative, wonderful. Have they tried braiding their hair? I really have no idea what to do with this.

[liz]

When mine get to rough I say owe. They usually stop but if they don't Rambo gets put down. Since Myrtle can fly I just fling her.

[shiraartain]

@Parjarita, tried this method today. Told my sister to hurry and bring a napkin for her to shred. Instead of handing it to me, she there it on the floor near me. I was angry at her for being disrespectful, but then realzies what she was doing when Clover quickly hopped off and chased it. It's like playing fetch with a dog....except the dog destroys the object and never brings it back. Later on, gave the napkin to her when she landed on my head and she immediately took it.
Caps don't help. She'll land on the shoulder and try to get it from behind the ears.

@Wolf, even if the hair is braided, she'll go for it. Lands on the scalp and starts pulling it out.

@Liz, we tried saying "Ow" as well, to make it clear to her that it hurts. She started saying Ow! As she pulled it out.

[Wolf]

Going for the drama of it all.

[Pajarita]

Most likely she thinks that "Ow!" means "Pluck!"