Protective parrot?

[GreenWing]

Hey, everyone -- 'been a while since I've been posting on the site regularly but that's because I was taking some classes ^^

So my partner and I were wrestling around, and after our rough play, he went into the bird room where Tiki was, and she flew onto his shoulder and BIT HIM.

It seemed to me that she bit him because, perhaps, she thought my partner was hurting her "mate"?

'Anyone else see protective behavior with their parrots?

[Pajarita]

Oh, yes, it's very common. I once read an account of a robber who had assaulted somebody with a macaw and after he was caught (because of the parrot's DNA on him and all the bites he had on his face, arms and hands) and he said that he had never seen an animal protect a human being so fearlessly and relentlessly (he actually had to kill the parrot).

Parrots don't understand rough play, they are not predators that play aggressively to learn hunting techniques or animals from hierarchical societies that do it to learn how to protect their harem, pack, herd, etc. To them, there is only one type of aggression and it's not play.

[GreenWing]

Oh, yes, it's very common. I once read an account of a robber who had assaulted somebody with a macaw and after he was caught (because of the parrot's DNA on him and all the bites he had on his face, arms and hands) and he said that he had never seen an animal protect a human being so fearlessly and relentlessly (he actually had to kill the parrot).

Parrots don't understand rough play, they are not predators that play aggressively to learn hunting techniques or animals from hierarchical societies that do it to learn how to protect their harem, pack, herd, etc. To them, there is only one type of aggression and it's not play.

Thanks for letting me know. That is really sad about the macaw, it actually infuriates me. That robber, what a %$#@*&^

I should add that the rough play with myself and my husband was not in front of the bird and in another room, but she heard the squeals from the other room and decided that her "mate" could be in danger nonetheless. She didn't attack my husband, just gave him a good bite when she saw him. It was like she was telling him, "DON'T do that again." We should be more careful! Thanks again for the reply.