Bird behaviour: learn to understand your bird

Companion birds are intelligent, sensitive and highly social animals, and at the same time they are prey by nature. That dual nature explains almost all of their behaviour. Learning to read their signals transforms life together and prevents most problems.

A bird is a flock animal

In the wild, a bird lives in a group: the flock means safety, company and constant communication. A companion bird transfers that need to your home — you and your family are its flock.

Many behaviours come from this: it calls you when you leave the room, it wants to be where you are, it vocalises to keep in contact. It is not a whim, it is its nature. An isolated bird with no interaction suffers.

The language of feathers and eyes

The bird's body says a lot if you know how to look:

• Feathers held tight against the body, stretched posture · alertness, tension or fear.
• Slightly fluffed feathers and a relaxed bird · comfort. But be careful: a bird that is very «puffed up», dull and still for a long time may be ill.
• Preening calmly or stretching out a wing and a leg · wellbeing.
• Crest or head feathers (in species that have them) · their position indicates the mood.
• Pupils that contract and dilate rapidly («pinning») · intense excitement, which may be enthusiasm or a warning of a bite — read it together with the rest of the body.
• A tail that fans out or moves, half-open wings · depending on the species, display, excitement or heat.

The voice as communication

For a bird, the voice is continuous communication. Soft chatter, humming and imitations are usually a sign of a contented bird. Contact calls (it calls you, you answer) keep the flock bond alive. The squawks at dawn and dusk are natural and hard to eliminate. A bird in total silence and apathetic, on the other hand, is not a good sign.

Signs of fear and stress

As prey, a bird expresses fear in recognisable ways:

• Staying very still, stretched thin and slim, trying to «disappear».
• Panicked wing-flapping inside the cage, escape attempts, crashing against the bars.
• Panting or rapid breathing from stress.
• Refusing contact it previously accepted, new defensive bites.

When it is frightened, reduce the stimuli: a low voice, slow movements, without invading its space, and give it time.

Why it bites you

A bite is rarely gratuitous aggression. It is usually fear, defence of territory, hormones during the breeding season, pain, or a learned behaviour (it bit, you moved away or paid it attention, it repeated it). Almost always the bird warns you first with its posture and feathers.

What to do: learn to read the warning and don't force contact at that moment; don't react with shouting or dramatic gestures (it can reinforce the behaviour or increase the fear); and never hit a bird. If the biting is frequent, look into what triggers it and, if necessary, consult a professional.

Feather plucking: when something is wrong

Pulling out its own feathers —feather plucking— is one of the most serious signs that a bird is not well. The causes are varied: boredom, stress, loneliness, lack of rest, a health or skin problem. The first step is always to rule out a medical cause with a vet who specialises in birds. From there you work on the environment, enrichment, sleep and company. Don't let it slide: the more it becomes chronic, the harder it is to reverse.

How to earn its trust

A bird's trust is built slowly:

• Start by being nearby without intruding: let it get used to your presence and your voice.
• Speak in a soft, steady tone; sudden movements frighten it.
• Offer treats (a small piece of its favourite food) without forcing contact; let it come to you.
• Respect its «no»: if it moves away, respect that. Forcing breaks the bond.
• Reward calm and curiosity; never punish fear.
• Be patient: days for some birds, weeks or months for others.

In short: your bird is a flock animal, intelligent and at the same time prey, that communicates with its feathers, its eyes, its posture and its voice. Learn to read its warnings —especially before a bite—, never force contact, and treat feather plucking and stress for what they are: signs that something needs to change. Trust is earned with respect and patience.