favorite or prefered shoulder

clark_conure

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2017
3,924
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2,224
Minnesota
Parrots
A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
I did a quick search maybe it's out there but worlds like favorite or shoulder...yeah


Clark always seems to prefer my left shoulder. He's fine on the right but left to his own devices it's left shoulder by preference.

Maybe this should have been a survey question but does your bird favor one shoulder over the other? and which side? and any idea why?
 

reeb

New member
Oct 23, 2017
568
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84
Cape Town, South Africa
Parrots
Berry (♀ Cockatiel) hatched June 2017
Opal (♂ Budgie) hatched 13 August 2017
Pearl (♀ Budgie) hatched 15 August 2017
+ an aviary of 16 other budgies! all hatched 2014-2017
Pearl and Berry will sit on either, Opal sits on my head.:D
 

Sandy19

Member
Mar 22, 2017
449
8
Peanut flies or jumps to whatever shoulder is closest, she doesn't seem to prefer one over the other. She also likes to sit on my head, but her favorite thing to do is lay on my lap on her back and I cover her up with a little doll blanket like a baby. She's a silly bird.
 

Jen5200

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Mar 27, 2017
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Washington State
Parrots
Baby - Sun Conure;
Tango - GCC;
Bindi - Sun Conure;
Stanley - Pineapple GCC;
Screamer “Scree� - Cockatiel;
Tee - Pineapple GCC; Jimmy - Cockatiel
Baby and Tango prefer my right shoulder. Although they will go to the left if the right is “unavailable” for some reason. My theory is that I’m right-handed so all the interesting stuff happens on that side and they have quicker access to get in the middle of whatever I am trying to accomplish :). I will also say that whatever side they use, they must sit together - they don’t ever ride solo, one on each shoulder.
 

Teddscau

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Sep 25, 2015
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Ontario, Canada
Parrots
Budgies: Sunshine, Blanco, Azure; Peach-faced lovebirds: Rosie and Jaybird; YSA: Jasper (♀)
Ever since I first started letting Noah go on my shoulder (you have to remember he was a terrible biter when he first came to live with me! The first time he nested on my shoulder, I was terrified.), he's always sat on my left shoulder, never the right. Even the time he went after my cousin to snuggle and wrap himself in her hair, he went for the left shoulder.

I wonder if he likes the left shoulder so much because I have him perch on my left hand? I use my right hand to hold the clicker, target stick, and treats during training, while having him stand on my left. He also goes on my left hand so I can use my right hand for preening. It should be noted that I'm actually right handed. He's started going on my head lately, but I should really discourage that.
 

cnyguy

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2010
1,021
464
Syracuse, NY
Parrots
Quaker parrot, Ralph
Ralph the QP usually climbs onto my right shoulder, but will often walk around the back of my neck to the left one. Scooter the adopted CAG so far isn't a shoulder bird at all.
 

tashawithanekkie

New member
Feb 22, 2017
162
10
Northeast Ohio, USA
Parrots
Duke, Male eclectus
Duke did seem to prefer the left for awhile -- I thought maybe because I'm right-handed, so that side's always moving around. But he always seems to sit on my husband's right side, and he (my husband, of course) is right handed, too. *shrug*
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,646
10,008
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
Interesting topic! Julio faces forward on my right shoulder and will shift to my left shoulder when he wishes to face aft. A very interesting transition for 500g of Amazon. Why? I haven a clue, he just does!
 

BeatriceC

New member
Feb 9, 2016
1,351
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San Diego, CA
Parrots
Goofy (YNA), Oscar (Goffin 'too). Foster bird Betty (RLA). RIP Cookie, 1991-2016 ('tiel), Leo (Sengal), Charlotte (scarlet macaw). Grand-birds: Liam (budgie), Donovan (lovebird), RIP Angelo (budgie)
Interesting topic! Julio faces forward on my right shoulder and will shift to my left shoulder when he wishes to face aft. A very interesting transition for 500g of Amazon. Why? I haven a clue, he just does!

Oscar does the exact opposite. He faces forward on my left shoulder and backwards on my right. He's only 290g of cockatoo, so not quite an interesting transition.

Goofy Prefers MrC's left shoulder. He doesn't have shoulder privileges with me.

The foster amazon and the foundling also don't have shoulder privileges, so who knows what they like.

The budgie and the lovebird really only let my son handle them, and to be honest, I haven't paid much attention to what shoulder they're on when he has them out.
 

Kiwibird

Well-known member
Jul 12, 2012
9,539
111
Parrots
1 BFA- Kiwi. Hatch circa 98', forever home with us Dec. 08'
Kiwi prefers to ride my hand over the shoulder but will begrudgingly humor me on occasion by sitting on my shoulder (I think because my shoulder isn't very big and he's a pretty sizable bird). Due to being a right handed human, he typically is placed on my left shoulder due to ease of reach on my part. He is more comfortable on my husbands wider shoulder and also sits on the left side due to ease of reach. He doesn't voluntarily climb on either of our shoulders though, he has to be placed there.
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,646
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Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
Kiwi prefers to ride my hand over the shoulder but will begrudgingly humor me on occasion by sitting on my shoulder (I think because my shoulder isn't very big and he's a pretty sizable bird). Due to being a right handed human, he typically is placed on my left shoulder due to ease of reach on my part. He is more comfortable on my husbands wider shoulder and also sits on the left side due to ease of reach. He doesn't voluntarily climb on either of our shoulders though, he has to be placed there.

Good point! I was thinking while I was sitting. Julio is not a shoulder rider. If either of us are moving about, he wants to be on the hand! It can be either hand. Neat Topic!
 

bigfellasdad

New member
Sep 21, 2017
925
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NorthWest England
Parrots
Enzo - adopted Female CAG circa 2004. A truly amazing young lady!
Enzo, any shoulder, but prefers to sit on top of doors! She will quite happily perch on my forearm but if im walking around and in to a darkened room she climbs immediately to my shoulder so I know she feels safer there. If im sitting down she does not like to sit on my shoulder, she much prefers to sit on my knee.
 
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Scott

Supporting Member
Aug 21, 2010
32,673
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San Diego, California USA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
Parrots
Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
All of my shoulder riders are Goffins. There seems a preference for the left shoulder when solo but often there is one on each. Interestingly, I am left handed and they don't mind when the left hand is active.
 

bill_e

Supporting Member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Dec 24, 2015
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New Hampshire
Parrots
Nike a Hawk Head Parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus)
Nike will take either shoulder, always facing forward. But if I lean back on the couch she's climb up on the back of the couch and play their a while, usually eventually sitting on my head. Nothing like being awakened from a snooze to the feeling of something warm dripping down on you.
 
OP
clark_conure

clark_conure

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Jul 14, 2017
3,924
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Minnesota
Parrots
A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #17
ewwwwww...

clark will also if i'm laying back on th couch reading......climb up and stand on my mouth I think he likes the warm air on his feet from my nose. I have to move the book around to keep reading but if he ever poops there...yeah thats done.
 

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