Not sure what this dance is all about

So I'm on a learning curve with 'too behavior since I've gotten Oscar. He's got this dance he does only when he's perched on my hands, and I'm not sure what it means. I tried to get it on video, but he's scared of my phone, so he freezes when I get the phone out. I'll keep trying, but for now I'll just describe it.

Step 1: Bow deeply with his head twisted up a little first to one side, then the other.

Step 2: Raise crest

Step 3: Head bob about 5-8 times.

Step 4: Spread wings wide and flap them a few times.

Step 5: Return to starting position.

These steps repeat in this exact order 5 or so times, and then he presses his beak gently to my arm and relaxes. It's sort of like the big bird dance, but not quite. I'm not entirely sure what it's supposed to mean. He doesn't do it with anybody else, just me.

Potentially IMO mating dance 'just for you'. Plum does something resembling the hokey cokey ("you put one foot in, one foot out") again on my hand. I will let him do it couple of times and then distract him with something else as very flattered but have no intention of laying any eggs this week anyway LOL

Yep, play the wacka-wacka-boom-boom music.
How sweet.
Can't wait to see it.

I was wondering if it was a mating dance. I know he's trying to impress me somehow. I'm just not sure if he's wanting to scare me, attempt to show me he's boss (not), or if he wants me to lay an egg.

Hey,

I have two toos and they do the same 'dance' although perhaps not in the exact order.

The deep bow usually suggest 'take me' or 'put me' somewhere - is (or was) Oscar clippered?

The other moves such as raised crest, wings flapping and head bobing is an excitment sign, I assume he gets quite noisy too in that moment (from deep to high). I usually encourage it as it makes my toos feeling as part of the flock.

Lubos

It is definitely a show of affection, perhaps unrelated to mating. None of mine do this, though they are very expressive with their bodies.

1- Twirling: They will spontaneously hop in circles or in place in a twirling motion. One of my Goffins drops to the floor and literally hops circles around me.

2- Rapid and repetitive movements: Some will swoop their bodies in dramatic fashion, such as twisting the body 180 degrees left-right-left.... while holding firm to a perch.

Just some of the reasons Goffins are known as Clown Cockatoos!

Exactly what you describe means 1 of 2 things:

1: I'm overstimulated and very excited! (20% of the time)

2: I'm very pissed and am threatening to fly at/attack you! (80% of the time)

I will add that I get a happy/excited variation of these 2, but you'd have to replace the "head bob" with "feather duster mode" as shown here:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CifLJOmyIYo"]Willow the Umbrella Cockatoo is Happy I'm Home (Display) - YouTube[/ame]

One of the things I love most about Cockatoos is how expressive they are. Like a little kid who knows she's funny so she acts goofy to make you laugh.
I figure they must be happy birds to be going through all these gyrations.
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Raz goes does this weird thing when she wants attention
1) meow like a cat
2) wave (with her foot)
3) go into bowling pin mode (feathers slick head straight up)
4) dryer mode (she turns into a puff ball and starts spinning around in circles)

usually if I talk to her or go over and pet her (i'm a pastry chef and work from home a good bit so walking over to pet her is not always an option) But it i dont answer.... She climbs off her stand comes running over to me and climbs my pants leg all the while meowing like a cat....

Scott said:

It is definitely a show of affection, perhaps unrelated to mating. None of mine do this, though they are very expressive with their bodies.

1- Twirling: They will spontaneously hop in circles or in place in a twirling motion. One of my Goffins drops to the floor and literally hops circles around me.

2- Rapid and repetitive movements: Some will swoop their bodies in dramatic fashion, such as twisting the body 180 degrees left-right-left.... while holding firm to a perch.

Just some of the reasons Goffins are known as Clown Cockatoos!

Click to expand...

So when a 'too has a raised crest and is bobbing up and down it doesn't necessarily mean it's a mating call right?? When my boyfriend plays the drums she does this, or when I put her out in the sun on our fence, it seems to me like she's just happy/ excited


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Incredible how different these parrots are from each other. That bird looks like so much fun. I love my CAG but she has never been that wound up, and I don't believe they get that wound up. Incredible creatures and such mysteries sometimes.

Scott said:

It is definitely a show of affection, perhaps unrelated to mating. None of mine do this, though they are very expressive with their bodies.

1- Twirling: They will spontaneously hop in circles or in place in a twirling motion. One of my Goffins drops to the floor and literally hops circles around me.

2- Rapid and repetitive movements: Some will swoop their bodies in dramatic fashion, such as twisting the body 180 degrees left-right-left.... while holding firm to a perch.

Just some of the reasons Goffins are known as Clown Cockatoos!

Click to expand...

The Cockatoo Man would do something very similar..I personally thought it was a riot lol...too cute for words


Jim

Background: My wife and I just adopted and adorable 2 year old Umbrella (currently named Casper).
We are just past 48 hours with him and still not at a "handling" stage, but as of today he has become much more interactive and less suspicious of us. From what we understand, the poor little guy has been through a lot. One household where he was severely neglected, then only a week or so in a household that adored him but could not keep him. They said he was very cuddly with them after only a couple of days.

We bought the cage he was used to (as something familiar, but have 2 much larger ones as well when he is ready) and have him currently sequestered in a bedroom with lots of toys both in his cage and out.. with the cage door always open He seems to like being on the perch on top of the cage to hang out and to sleep.).

We have been spending at least an hour or two at a time, several times during daylight hours, just sitting in the room with him, talking softly to him and to each other, just to get him used to us. He had a pretty traumatic 3 hours or more in a cat carrier to get him home, on top of now living with strangers, so we are trying to give him some "space."

Now to the Question: He has started doing this dance, where he paces from one side to another of his perch or the top of the cage, fully erect with a big "boot the moon" kick at one end, then shuffling across the perch and into a sideways crouch with just a little wing spread, then back again.

He seemed to find it amusing when I copied his movements (he watched me and chuckled), so it did not seem to be a threat display, but not something that makes you want to rush over and pet him either.

Any ideas on what he is trying to tell us?

(I do think he is settling in well - he is eating well, pooping well, not plucking at all - and today he also seemed to be playing peekaboo with us by hiding behind the open cage door [as if we could not see him through the bars] and popping us each time we said peek-a-boo. He seems like a total ham and loves to show off...)