Does your bird have a dominant foot?

JuicyNip

New member
Jul 22, 2019
81
Media
2
Albums
1
14
USA
Parrots
Black-Capped Conure
My bird is extremely consistent with only using his left foot (Wanted to type "hand" so badly, but you know what I mean) for holding food while he eats on it. Even with object manipulation like playing with a toy or seashell, he only uses his left foot. How common is this? What does your bird do?
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,669
10,064
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
It is very common!
Our DYH Amazon is left foot dominant when sleeping, but will switch-it-up overnight. Will also, switch-it-up for stepping-up depending of where he is stepping from.
With food, larger pieces are picked-up with the right claw, and smaller pieces with the left claw. But that (in my opinion) is a result of his longest toe nail of the left claw is missing.
 

Laurasea

Well-known member
Aug 2, 2018
12,593
10,702
USA
Parrots
Full house
I have two left foot dominant, and one rarer right foot dominant. I did a poll last year :)
Birds are neat
 
OP
J

JuicyNip

New member
Jul 22, 2019
81
Media
2
Albums
1
14
USA
Parrots
Black-Capped Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
I have two left foot dominant, and one rarer right foot dominant. I did a poll last year :)
Birds are neat

I did a search before I posted, but your poll didn't come up for me. Would you post a link to it please?
 
OP
J

JuicyNip

New member
Jul 22, 2019
81
Media
2
Albums
1
14
USA
Parrots
Black-Capped Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
It is very common!
Our DYH Amazon is left foot dominant when sleeping, but will switch-it-up overnight. Will also, switch-it-up for stepping-up depending of where he is stepping from.
With food, larger pieces are picked-up with the right claw, and smaller pieces with the left claw. But that (in my opinion) is a result of his longest toe nail of the left claw is missing.

Appreciate the info. Since my bird's history is a blank (don't even have a hatch date) I was worried he was favoring one foot due to an old injury. But now that I think about it, the vet would have said something at his check-up if it had been an issue. She was pretty thorough.

Still, good to know. I guess I'm just a worrywart. :56:
 

wrench13

Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Nov 22, 2015
11,465
Media
14
Albums
2
12,703
Isle of Long, NY
Parrots
Yellow Shoulder Amazon, Salty
Salty is a right handed parrot in almost everything, exceptions being shaking hands/high fiving/ waving Hello. When he has to pick anything up, or hold something steady he is right handed ( or right clawed ) lol.

I wonder if left handed parrots share someof the issues that lefties endure in our human, right-no-centric world.
 

noodles123

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2018
8,145
472
Parrots
Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
Mine is a "lefty"
She uses her right occasionally, but it isn't her dominant foot.
 

charmedbyekkie

New member
May 24, 2018
1,148
82
US/SG
Parrots
Cairo the Ekkie!
Tehehe, Cairo waves very enthusiastically with his left foot, but with his right foot, sometimes he blows a kiss instead..

When holding food and foot toys, he seems to prefer his left foot, but he's quite ambidextrous.

I almost wonder if he's acting like a lefty because I'm a righty. So anything I do with my right hand, he interacts with his left foot. When I realised I should reach him to shake with his right foot as well, he had no problem adjusting.
 

Rozalka

Supporting Member
Parrot of the Month 🏆
May 23, 2018
8,641
Media
61
Albums
2
8,895
Poland
Parrots
Bourke's parrots, green cheeked conure

T00tsyd

Well-known member
May 8, 2017
1,256
862
UK
Parrots
Green cheek conure - Sydney (Syd) Hatched 2/2017
This really got me thinking and I have noted Syd's actions for a few days. I'm pretty sure he's right footed. Over the last few days he has consistently stepped up right foot first, and held food in it too. I'm left handed so in a way I'd have liked him to be the same.

My question now is - humans who are left handed are considered more artistic - so does the same apply to parrots? Anyone got a budding artiste? Perhaps a dancer, a painter, drawing could be a possibility. I suspect a whole new area of research!
 
OP
J

JuicyNip

New member
Jul 22, 2019
81
Media
2
Albums
1
14
USA
Parrots
Black-Capped Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #12
Salty is a right handed parrot in almost everything, exceptions being shaking hands/high fiving/ waving Hello. When he has to pick anything up, or hold something steady he is right handed ( or right clawed ) lol.

I wonder if left handed parrots share someof the issues that lefties endure in our human, right-no-centric world.

It wouldn't surprise me if they did. Mine's already a little quirky to begin with; so why not this too?!
 
OP
J

JuicyNip

New member
Jul 22, 2019
81
Media
2
Albums
1
14
USA
Parrots
Black-Capped Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #13
Tehehe, Cairo waves very enthusiastically with his left foot, but with his right foot, sometimes he blows a kiss instead..

When holding food and foot toys, he seems to prefer his left foot, but he's quite ambidextrous.

I almost wonder if he's acting like a lefty because I'm a righty. So anything I do with my right hand, he interacts with his left foot. When I realised I should reach him to shake with his right foot as well, he had no problem adjusting.

Sound like me when I was trying to keep up with the aerobics instructor. A monkey see, monkey do, type situation.
 
OP
J

JuicyNip

New member
Jul 22, 2019
81
Media
2
Albums
1
14
USA
Parrots
Black-Capped Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #14
I have two left foot dominant, and one rarer right foot dominant. I did a poll last year :)
Birds are neat

I did a search before I posted, but your poll didn't come up for me. Would you post a link to it please?
Here is this thread: http://www.parrotforums.com/questions-answers/78404-right-left-footed.html


My conure also is left footed like most parrots

Thank you so much for posting this. I'm going to do the poll next and look forward to seeing the results!
 
OP
J

JuicyNip

New member
Jul 22, 2019
81
Media
2
Albums
1
14
USA
Parrots
Black-Capped Conure
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #15
This really got me thinking and I have noted Syd's actions for a few days. I'm pretty sure he's right footed. Over the last few days he has consistently stepped up right foot first, and held food in it too. I'm left handed so in a way I'd have liked him to be the same.

My question now is - humans who are left handed are considered more artistic - so does the same apply to parrots? Anyone got a budding artiste? Perhaps a dancer, a painter, drawing could be a possibility. I suspect a whole new area of research!

Wouldn't that be a research topic with interesting results?! Didn't they come out the other day with something about a cockatoo's dancing being the subject of research? One thing's for sure, these guys are a lot more intelligent than the average Joe thinks they are. And I'm pretty sure mine's smarter than me (at least some days.)
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top