Dominant Behavior

cthulhus_minion

New member
Jan 28, 2013
284
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Arkansas
Parrots
Blue Crown Conure
My male cockatoo has started trying to be dominant instead of scared. Any time I have seen him show any kind of behavior such as spreading his wings out and displaying his crest I always immediately make him step up to show I'm not afraid of him. He was getting better about the scared part now he is trying to be dominant and I am using the same method so he knows he's not dominant and I am not scared of him. What else could I do to stop this behavior before it gets to be an actual problem. Also he started stomping his feet some today and according to what I found that is defiantly a sign of a bird trying to be dominate.
 

Pinkbirdy

New member
Feb 26, 2013
2,203
1
Clifton Springs Newyork
Parrots
macaw,LS2,congo grey,2Blk Hd caiques,Hawkhead,yellowstrk lory,Blue frnt amazon,sun conure ,Yellow sided greencheek ,Goffin ,Rosebreasted Cockatoo,Greenwing Macaw,Blue and Gold Macaw,Nanday conure,Ecle
I think you just have a long road ahead [and that's how you should look at it ] . Building your relationship with him ,and figuring out what works. Sounds like things are going in the right direction [ Im sure you will both find your way :) ]
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
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Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
First, you need to understand that your cockatoo is not trying to dominate you. Dominance in parrots does not exist.

https://www.facebook.com/chris.harris.790256?fref=ts


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lara...aining-and-enrichment/165220980213318?fref=ts


Taking the ?Command? out of the Positive Reinforcement Vocabulary | Lara Joseph



A Quick Example of How Positive Reinforcement Can Help in Preventing an Undesired Behavior | Lara Joseph


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Please, do yourself and your birds a favor and take the word "dominance" out of your vocabulary. Stop trying to dominate him and start learning to work *with* him. This is what positive reinforcement is about. It is learning to communicate with our animals in a positive manner and to teach them acceptable behaviors. It is often under the guise of clicker training.



My questions are... why is he displaying? Is he still afraid? Is he having fun and showing off?


If he's still afraid, him spreading wings and crest open may be his way of saying to 'back off' because so far you have ignored everything he's told you by saying he's afraid and you have pushed him to try some new behavior to get you to back off.

If he's just showing off, well, allow him to! Don't get him too riled up, but do allow him to have some fun!



Let him show you what he is comfortable with. If he's afraid of something, teach him in a positive manner that it's ok. Encourage him to be the bird you want him to be, don't force him to be the bird you don't want him to be. Communication is a two way lane, try to "listen" to him.
 
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Betrisher

Well-known member
Jun 3, 2013
4,253
177
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Parrots
Dominic: Galah(RIP: 1981-2018); The Lovies: Four Blue Masked Lovebirds; Barney and Madge (The Beaks): Alexandrines; Miss Rosetta Stone: Little Corella
It's a long time since I've had a captive cocky, but I thought I'd just add that the wild ones do this all the time when they're in a great good humour. I've also seen them doing it in public parks when they get the chance to bathe under a sprinkler. Please don't be too quick to punish your cocky for being happy!

I have to agree with Monica about dominance. I've been a birdwatcher all my life and I've never seen parrots exhibit dominance/submission behaviours in the ways that other species do.
 

U2gal

New member
May 20, 2013
218
0
How new to birds are you? Have you done much research on behavior? If not, I recommend researching behavior. Barbara Heidenreich's Parrot Problem Solver is a GREAT book on parrot behavior.

I like to put my face up against my birds when they get all HAPPY and excited and start to open their wings with their crest up. Theyre happy. And it makes me happy.

A cockatoo who will bite is a cockatoo who's feathers around their face and entire body are very sleek and they will look at You with their beak open and almond eyes.
 

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