strange behavior

birdpassion620 · Jan 31, 2013

Hi,

Lately I've noticed my Green Cheek Conure acting rather strange. In the past two days it has been moving and lowering it's tail all the way down and ducking it's whole body down (including it's head) while sitting on the perch. Another thing I've noticed is that it sticks it's beak out of the cage while doing this. Altough it looks rather funny I don't know if this is normal. No changes in appetite and is still very active as usual.

If anyone else has experienced this with their conure your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

MikeyTN · Jan 31, 2013

How old is your Green Cheek? Do you know if it's a male or a female? Does it make noise while doing the pose?

To me it sounds like a female mating behavior, if you can upload a video that would help greatly.

ACEPHONECHIC · Jan 31, 2013

I have greencheeks and it is most certainly mating behavior. However with our females they tend to stick the tail up in the air leaving the vent exposed and chirping away.
The Males are the ones more likely to press the tail down and move it from side to side, zak our Sun conure likes to grab our necks in this manner when he feels in the mood.

birdpassion620 · Jan 31, 2013

Thanks Mikey and ACEP. I had a feeling the behavior was related to mating but wasn't 100% sure on this.

@Mikey, My conure is just a little over 2 years old and yes it does make funny noises while doing this. However I am not sure of the sex tough I have a feeling it's a male. I am thinking of doing a DNA to find out.

MikeyTN · Jan 31, 2013

If your able to upload a video of the behavior we can save you time from DNA test.

MonicaMc · Jan 31, 2013

The DNA test would probably be the safest bet! I've seen a video of a green cheek conure that backed up to the owners hand, so everyone assumed female, but DNA results said male!

Is there any other behavior included in this? Anything to do with the wings?

birdpassion620 · Jan 31, 2013

Hi Monica,

Yes, he/she does open its wings but just barely. It kind of looks like the wings are trembling while doing this.

Thingamagigs · Feb 1, 2013

Oh! Is he/she always sticking his/her beak through the bars when it happens, leaning forward, wings slightly open?

Thats "I want to come out" LOL

The tail only goes down for balance because they are pushing with their beak. Its the same posture they would take up when they want to fly off an object but the bars being there they develop this interesting behaviour instead

Thats my understanding of it.

Like the very end of this video, right?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yUz6X4R3FY]Charlie in his cage - YouTube[/ame]

Remy · Feb 1, 2013

Sounds like a mating behavior to me. Maybe you could look up videos of GCCs mating, or doing mating behavior, and see if it looks the same.

Grenage · Feb 1, 2013

birdpassion620 said:
Hi,

Lately I've noticed my Green Cheek Conure acting rather strange. In the past two days it has been moving and lowering it's tail all the way down and ducking it's whole body down (including it's head) while sitting on the perch. Another thing I've noticed is that it sticks it's beak out of the cage while doing this. Altough it looks rather funny I don't know if this is normal. No changes in appetite and is still very active as usual.

If anyone else has experienced this with their conure your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much.

Indeed, that is not abnormal; my GCC does exactly the same thing every now and then. Sometimes he'll combine it with a little run, which is quite cute.

MonicaMc · Feb 1, 2013

I didn't think it was mating behavior, and it certainly doesn't sound like it now!!!! LOL

Thingamagig, I was going to post my video of Charlie begging to come out of his cage, but I guess you did it for me!

When a bird wants to go somewhere, they'll often hunker down, point their head in the direction they want to go and "quiver" their wings. It may be a slight quiver with the wings barely held out to the wings nearly fully extended and quivering/'shaking'.

MikeyTN · Feb 1, 2013

Thingamagigs's video is what my conures used to do. That's a normal behavior they do all the time no matter if it's a male or a female cause I've had one of each and they both do it. That's why I wanted to see a video of it as it will clear up if it's a mating behavior or not.

birdpassion620 · Feb 1, 2013

Thingamagigs said:
Oh! Is he/she always sticking his/her beak through the bars when it happens, leaning forward, wings slightly open?

Thats "I want to come out" LOL

The tail only goes down for balance because they are pushing with their beak. Its the same posture they would take up when they want to fly off an object but the bars being there they develop this interesting behaviour instead Thats my understanding of it.

Like the very end of this video, right?

Charlie in his cage - YouTube

Ohh wow, I never would have guessed that. I always assumed it had to do with mating, I feel rather guilty now.

Thanks to everyone for helping solve the mystery.

Thingamagigs · Feb 1, 2013

MonicaMc said:
I didn't think it was mating behavior, and it certainly doesn't sound like it now!!!! LOL

Thingamagig, I was going to post my video of Charlie begging to come out of his cage, but I guess you did it for me!

When a bird wants to go somewhere, they'll often hunker down, point their head in the direction they want to go and "quiver" their wings. It may be a slight quiver with the wings barely held out to the wings nearly fully extended and quivering/'shaking'.

Is that your gorgeous little boy!!!

Small world, he is absolutely gorgeous, I am so jealous I just want to squishle him under my chin in a birdy cuddle

MonicaMc · Feb 1, 2013

Glad my video was of help!

I know the behavior can be quite confusing for many owners who aren't familiar with it, even when it occurs outside of the cage!

And yup, that's my brat!

I sometimes hold him like I would a football, my arm in a circle and hand against my side, with Charlie in the opening thats left! He's not very nice though under the covers... he tends to get territorial and bitey!

Thingamagigs · Feb 1, 2013

birdpassion620 said:
Ohh wow, I never would have guessed that. I always assumed it had to do with mating, I feel rather guilty now. Thanks to everyone for helping solve the mystery.

no need to feel guilty, though I do have to say the behaviour is too cute to be a mating behaviour.

LOL At best mating behaviour look ridiculous

lol

They look so forlorn when they do the "I want out" thing, their little shoulders dropped and their wings shaking. I am certain conures and cockatoos have human manipulation down to a fine art.

MonicaMC's Charlie has the most forlorn look of all! LOL
He is seriously mind blowingly adorable MonicaMC

birdpassion620 · Feb 1, 2013

Thingamagigs said:
I am certain conures and cockatoos have human manipulation down to a fine art.

Thats true, sometimes I think these little guys are smarter than we think.

MonicaMc · Feb 2, 2013

Another member posted this... they just recently took in a 2 year old male eclectus, and he displays the begging behavior while inside the cage, albeit it's different to the behavior that Charlie displays.

[ame=http://youtu.be/TrLk8WmKFAk]IMG 0280 - YouTube[/ame]

And thanks Thingamagigs! If only he was as sweet as he was adorable! LOL

Thingamagigs · Feb 2, 2013

Oh it looks so funny when an eclectus does it!! What a cutie

Isn't it always the way... the cuter they are the more ornery they are. Mana is so heart meltingly adorable... she coos and looks up at me with half closed sleepy eyes and chatters away, I just want to give her the biggest birdy cuddles. But she has a terrible temper and is far too full of beans to be cuddled by most. She just wants to wrestle lol Especially with human boys, she is such a floozy!

strange behavior

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GCC Trying to mate?

Stupid breeding question

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