Do these behaviors have "standard" meanings?

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Some of Scooter's behaviors seem fairly obvious from context, but others are more mysterious. Is there somewhere a lexicon of bird behaviors and natural vocalizations? Or does the hand-raising process override many of these? Is it very species-dependent? Here are some examples of behaviors and sounds I'd like to understand more.

Making clicking sounds -- is this natural or learned? Sounds a lot like me clicking my tongue, so we click back and forth at each other.

Banging his beak against an object somewhat forcefully.

Running the side of his beak along a perch, the edge of a piece of furniture, my arm, etc.

Doing "bird ups" -- dipping up and down with body bent forward (as opposed to bobbing up and down while upright, which appears to be a happy thing).

Rocking from side to side.

When having head rubbed, tilting head up and opening and closing beak slowly. I assume this means it feels good, but it looks a little like a begging gesture.

Leaning forward with wings very slightly raised, appears to be a "come and get me" solicitation.

[Suzzique]

I can answer some of them.

While I have never heard my daughters gcc's make any kind of clicking sound it doesn't mean to much. Sounds like it has become a game that yours enjoys playing with you. It is so hard to tell any more what is natral and what is learned with these guys.

The beak banging can mean that he is mad about something. Though normally a bluff I would still be careful.

Rubbing the side of his beak is totally normal he is condishing his beak. This is how they get extra food off and when the beak is peeling to get the old layers off.

Is the "bird-ups" acompanied with any kind of chirping? If so you may have a hen and this is a sex thing to be ignored when happening. Don't discurage it but don't acknollage it either.

The rocking side to side I have no idea except that my daughters do it as well. Maybe just something gcc's do.

More than likely this is just Scooters way of enjoying his head scratch. Alex will move his head to where he wants me to scrach and closes his eye.

Sense Scooter is not flighted I would agree that his wings extended a bit and the look is a come and get me I want to spend time with you. Alex takes the same stance just before he launchs to come to me.

Hope all this helps.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Thanks! That helps a lot.

I don't think his beak banging is aggressive... at least it's never been followed by aggressive behavior (and I have seen him get territorial about stuff so I know what he looks like before he bites!). One day he was sitting on my finger being perfectly happy and then he banged his beak on that finger a few times. Usually he does it to the cage.

He's a he -- he was DNA sexed before we got him. Or at least that's what his paperwork says! They really look like he's doing pushups...

[Suzzique]

The beak banging may not be aggressive for Scooter. Just what I've seen from my own birds and my daughters gcc's. The same goes for the "push ups" I've only seen it in hens. But it is just what I've seen and an opinion.

[MandyG]

My Amazon does some of these behaviours.

He will bang his beak against toys during play, but he has never done it to me or his cage so it doesn't sound like the same behavior that Scooter is doing.

He will rub the side of his beak usually to clean off any food that's stuck on it.

The 'bird-ups' is a new behavior that Mojo has started. While doing them his eyes will be pinned or 'flashing' and he will be making his 'angry' noises like he does when he's in his full Amazon display. It's only happened a couple of times, I think it may have to do with spring coming up. Haven't had the chance to really do any reading on it yet though!

My Amazon doesn't rock side to side.

Mojo will do the same thing when he's getting a good scratch. He's just enjoying the scratch when he does it.

Leaning forward with his wings raised a little and 'fluttering' means he wants out of his cage or to be picked up. Usually it will be accompanied with a really sweet 'hello?' 'step up?' 'wanna step up?' or 'wanna come out?'.

I think there are a lot of general behaviours that parrots exhibit that mean basically the same thing for every bird. I'm sure some species have behaviours that are exclusive to them (such as an Amazon display, I haven't seen any other type of parrot performing this). Most of my experience is solely with Amazons so I don't have a lot of experience observing other species in great detail. And of course there are behaviours that individual birds display that they have learned. Such as if your bird makes a certain noise (maybe like the clicking?) and you answer it then you've 'taught' him to continue displaying this behavior because it's a fun way to interact with you and he can get your attention.

[Pola]

my rubs his beak to get food of it

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I see the beak rubbing to remove food, but sometimes he does it in a more playful/ritualistic way, back and forth as far as he can reach rhythmically. Do I have a wierd bird?

[Suzzique]

No Alex does this as well. They can feel heat/cold ect with thier beak and even enjoy beak rubs just like they do neck scratches. At least with a gcc he doesn't turn your cloths grey when he does this. Alex is aways so dusty when he starts rubing it turns everything grey. :p

[alight15]

um..when you say rocking do you mean?
like slightly tilting side to side slowly
[[Video not available]¯

or


leaning back and forth?

I think the first is more of a way to tell it's enjoying itself