Kili Making Bubbling Sound, Should I be alarmed?

[Mona]

Okay...That looks like a bird that is imitating something...(I looked at the movie again)

It almost sounds like a stapler. When you are at your computer, is there something that you do that makes that sort of clicking noise? Maybe she is trying to compete with the computer.

Any thing else in your house that makes that clicking sound?

A camera?

She looks like this is something she is definitely doing on purpose.

Consider if you do something and you are really focused on it and it makes that noise. Now, she wants to get your attention. From her perspective: You are really interested in that clicking noise so what if SHE makes that clicking noise?????? - maybe you will be really intent on her????

Senegals can be pretty intense.....

Thx

Mona

[Michael]

Mouse click? It's not that loud though and I'm not so sure it sounds like that. But even if it is for getting attention, why hasn't the behavior become extinct yet. Usually I do the opposite of what she wants when she does it by either ignoring her or tossing her away from me. And she will do that away from the computer area as well. Like at the end of training. In fact usually she does it not during a lack of attention but when there is more attention. It's weird.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Is it possible that the fact you are concerned about it is causing you to inadvertently reward the behavior by changing your body language and focus such that she picks up on your concern and finds the attention rewarding? I don't have enough bird experience to know if it is applicable to birds, but I do know similar scenarios can happen with horses.

Scooter hasn't made his similar noise in a while. He is in love with my computer mouse and keyboard, so those as possible models for the sound are maybe not so far-fetched.

[MandyG]

Consider if you do something and you are really focused on it and it makes that noise. Now, she wants to get your attention. From her perspective: You are really interested in that clicking noise so what if SHE makes that clicking noise?????? - maybe you will be really intent on her????

If she continues the behaviour when she is getting attention then the above does make sense. She makes the noise, you're paying attention to her. She may not stop the behaviour once you're paying attention to her because she believes the behaviour is what's causing you to be focused on her.

I try to be completely indifferent to her when she makes the sound. I won't even look at her. But if I do look at her or give her attention she doesn't stop. Also this rarely happens at the start of a training session (when she is hungriest) but usually happens toward the end or after training.

You have watched her and you've recorded her when she's making the sound, also you've given her attention to see if she will stop when you do. She may still be holding on to the idea that if it has worked in the past then it may work again and she might get your attention again, and she has. Your attention is something she obviously values so it may take longer than usual for the behaviour to go away now that you aren't paying attention to her when she does it. Also, you seem to have a very set routine with her, she likely knows when your training session is coming to an end so she will start making the noise in an attempt to hold your attention.

This is just my guess as to why she's doing it. My only other thought is that it's some type of mating behaviour but I don't have any experience in that area as of yet.

[Michael]

To everyone who thinks that it is an imitation of the clicker, again I have to disagree. It sounds a bit different in person. Last night I paid a bit of attention to the sound (without looking at the bird or giving her attention) and it sometimes sounds more like honking than clicking. It doesn't even sound like a mouse click let alone a clicker. Also she sometimes does this quietly in a way that there is no click or honk sound but just "bubbling." I will hear a bit of a quiver and bubble coming from inside of her without any vocalized sound to it. It's definitely bizarre.

[Mona]

Okay...

How about something outside? When we lived in town, my birds all did the dump truck backing up.

How about the telephone? We can erase call waiting numbers on our telephone and it makes a Beep....beep..beep, beep noise. Phinney picked that up and does it quite a bit.

Maybe Kili is talking in Morse code

It really looks to me like she is picking up some sound....It might even be something you don't hear. They do hear in different frequencies than we do.

Thx

Mona

[entrancedbymyGCC]

The point I was trying to make is, that at least with horses, one doesn't necessarily need to look or intentionally pay attention to something for the animal to perceive changes in body language that reflect a change in focus. Even trying really hard to NOT react to something, tends to cause a subtle bodily reaction. I don't know if birds pick this up in the same way, but Scooter does seem to read my moods even when I'm trying not to display them in an obvious way.

Does she make the noise when others are present and you aren't? Could you set up a webcam and see if she does it when no one is there?

[Michael]

I am aware of parrots picking up on body language. This is why I try to completely take my mind off of her when she does this. Like watch TV or throw her to a far away perch out of site. I'm really trying to completely ignore this. She only seems to do it for me. I can hear her vocalizing when she is out of my sight and she never does it. She doesn't do it for others. Mostly she does it when she is really close to me like in my hand, on my shoulder, a perch near me. That's why it's weird. Cause usually she is doing it when she HAS my attention.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Could you learn to love it? Scooter hasn't repeated his vocalizing this way since I last posted. It is a mystery.

[MissLady9902]

I really think it's a kind of mating thing. They way she's a little crouched down with her wings slightly away from her body making them kind of cupped.
Noodle makes a similar noise but not quite the same but with the same posture. Kind of a clucky/click chirp noise. It's very hard to describe without it recorded.
Seems Kili is very bonded with you and wants to mate with you. My friend has a severe macaw that is always trying to woo her with mating dances and clucky noises.
She just loves you lots!