We get a lot of calls at Windy City Parrot seeking advice on bird behavior. One of the "mysteries" of owning a parrot is how to avoid bites. Opinions vary as widely on how to deal with this issue.

I'll tell you that for the most part, if you get bet by your bird, it's usually your own fault. Sorry, sugar coating it doesn't help. There are some simple steps you can take like learning the "earthquake" This is when the bird is on your hand and you see them about to bite, drop your hand a few inches quickly to put the bird off balance - like trying to stand during an earthquake.

To help further with this problem, enjoy this article from the Bird Lady.

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               "Bird Lady Secrets" - Special Report 
                    Released On: February 11, 2011

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 This special update includes...

  1) Parrot Body Language Part One - How To Easily 
      Understand Your Parrot's Body Language 
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   Parrot body language is something every parrot owner
wants to better understand. Parrots in the wild communicate
through a complex language comprised of body postures and
movements combined with vocalizations.

   In order to clearly understand what you parrot is saying
with sounds and body language, it is often necessary to combine
several factors such as the current surroundings, what is going
on around the parrot and what the parrot's emotions at the
moment seem to be in order to figure out what is being
expressed.

   Some vocalizations and postures vary based on the size of
the parrot. While not every parrot will perform these body
language behaviors exactly the same, if you pay close attention
to your bird, you will begin to understand them much better.

  Today, let's look at a few of the many, many parrot body
language clues we encounter as new parrot
owners.

   Growling:

   When a parrot makes a growling sound, it is sometimes
also flashing its pupils and raising the feathers on the back
of the neck. This is a signal that the parrot does not wish to
be approached, picked up, bothered, and indicates that if
you insist on doing so, you very well may be bitten! It means
it is time to back off and leave the bird alone to calm down
for a while before attempting interaction.

   Purring: 
 

   Some parrots make a purring sound, almost like a cat's purr.
This is not accompanied by dilated pupils and the feathers
are held in a relaxed, fluffy posture. This posture, without
the accompanying sound, indicates contentment. 

   Clicking the Beak: 

   When a parrot makes a sharp clicking sound with its beak,
it usually indicates that it feels threatened. It can also be used
as a signal that it is protecting something such as a toy, mate
or particular person or space. When this clicking occurs, the
bird's neck may be stretched forward and the bird may even
raise one foot. This is CLEARLY a defensive signal, used for
warding off an intruder. Watch this behavior because it is
another sure signal that you will probably get a nasty bite.

   Tongue Clicking: 

   Smaller parrots seldom click their tongues, but many large
species can he heard making clear clicking sounds with their
tongues. Frequently, cockatoos do this, and a few cockatiels
will tongue click. With cockatiels, it often sounds a bit more
like a clucking sounds. This behavior indicates the bird wants
to interact and be friendly, perhaps even wants to be picked
up and scratched.

   Beak Grinding:  

   If you have ever heard a person under stress grind their
teeth, then you'll easily recognized this sounds when it
occurs. When a parrot feels content, relaxed and safe, it
will scrape the lower mandible (lower beak) against the
upper mandible. It is often a prelude to sleep or nap-time
and can even be heard when parrots are sleeping. There is
some conjecture that the purpose of this behavior is to
clean the inside of the beak, but that is uncertain.

   Wiping the Beak: 

   There are two situations in which a parrot will perform beak
wiping. This first is a common sense reason: they have food
or debris such as a loose down feather stuck on their beak
and wants to maintain their fastidiousness by cleaning the
beak.

   The second situation where beak wiping is seen is when
another parrot is present. In this situation, the one wiping its
beak is telling the other parrot that it has intruded into personal
space and should back off a bit. It isn't as aggressive a behavior
as growling or beak clicking, but is more of a warning measure.
It generally says, "Don't come any closer to me, if you do I
might get really mad."

   Panting: 

   The last body language element we'll look at today goes
along with the article on temperature. When a parrot pants,
it could be overheated. It could also be overexerted or extremely
uncomfortable. If a parrot runs away from danger, flies when it is
not used to flying, it will pant from too much exercise. If a parrot
feels extremely nervous and in danger, it pants as a response
to the experience for a short time or under the danger leaves.

   A Look Forward: 

  During the next days, watch for these behaviors in your
parrots and learn their meaning. Soon, we'll look at more
behaviors such as moving the head from side to side,
sneezing and others.

  Now, if you want to join our community of parrot
owners who are already enjoying success in teaching their
parrots to talk, then we highly recommend that you upgrade
your member account to an ELITE membership.

  Because as an elite member, not only you can watch the
video associated with this article where I show you exactly
how many of these postures will look when your parrot
performs them...

  ... But you'll also gain access to much more great information,
including the Parrot Talking System which I have developed over
the course of the last 17 years of working with and training parrots
of many species. Simply visit the page below for more information
on my this speech training crammed with many in-depth videos and
articles:

==> http://NoraCaterino.com/Presents/TalkingVideosSystem

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Finally you can solve annoying bird

problems like parrot biting, screaming, or feather plucking by

watching Nora Caterino's amazing parrot training videos, audios

and articles online. To get instant access to your free "Parrot

Training Secrets" package (a $47 value), visit:

  http://www.birdladysecrets.com 

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