What does this mean? My macaw is ALWAYS doing this!

[cstambaugh]

I have a 10yr old GW macaw that I've had for almost 2 weeks now. He is (mostly) hand friendly. He'll step up when he wants to, which is rarly since he's still new to his environment and me. He'll take treats, etc. I respect his body language and can mostly read and understand what he wants, all but this. He is ALWAYS making this pose! Most of the day he's in this. If I let him out of his cage, he's doing it, in his cage, just all day every day. I'll go up and see if he wants anything, but its never anything consistent.
I just want to make sure its good, and if it is, and he's demanding something, I'd like to know what he's going for so he doesn't think I'm ignoring him.
Head down, beak slightly open, wings hunched up and out just a little. He is almost quivering trying to stay in the pose when he does it. I'll try to give him treats, he'll take it, then get back into the pose. He wont hop up. he'll just come out of it, walk around, then go back into the pose. Its so bizarre because he is ALWAYS doing it.

 

[Jayyj]

I've no experience of macaws so I may be way off base here, but in galah speak that looks pretty close to 'I want to go somewhere, please pick me up'. Have you tried inviting him to step up when he does it?

 

[cstambaugh]

I've no experience of macaws so I may be way off base here, but in galah speak that looks pretty close to 'I want to go somewhere, please pick me up'. Have you tried inviting him to step up when he does it?

Every time. He'll refuse, walk around for a minute, then go back into the pose.

 

[getwozzy]

I also don't have Mac experience, but I agree with jay- it looks and sounds like he wants to go somewhere. Have you tried offering a perch when you ask him to step up? (instead of your hand/arm) have treats in hand so you can reward him if he steps up!

 

[MenomaMinx]

The cobra thing?

Yeah, think of it like birdie flashbacks of behavior – usually stress-related memories caused by similar environments to where ever they originally came from.

My Kumiko does this when in cage lock down. She came from hoarders who had her in a undersized cage as furniture decoration for eight years. The full version involves grasping both feet pulling downward towards/against the tale base, hanging by beak from ceiling of cage with shoulder shrugging that would be flapping had there been enough room – but the wings never actually unfold.

There's a version where they press up against the cage, which you've already seen.

Doesn't usually do it outside the cage, but just because I've never seen it doesn't mean it didn't happen given the first two.

Her two cages are huge.the one of my physical home is actually large enough to fit a full-size woman it, which is how kings cages used to advertise it. The one at my personal Valkyrie's house is slightly shorter, but around the same with.

The behavior's going into extinction as time goes on, but she goes back into it when she switches houses as soon as she's locked in the cage for the night .

in other words, it's temporary and will eventually stop. Nothing you did or didn't do , relax

I got of macaw behavior cheat sheet somewhere that I'm going to have to rewrite soon..... I didn't think this one needed to make the list, because I took it to be a rescue bird thing not specific to macaws. Am I wrong?

 

[cstambaugh]

If its stress related, I can understand. He's at 1.5 weeks now of being with me in his new home.
He isn't cramped for space, thats for sure. Its not related to anything he's around either. Floors, counters, perches, on top of his cage, etc.

I wanted to make sure he wasn't expecting something of me from it.

 

[Matilda]

It looks to me like begging behavior. As the other posters suggested, "I want to be picked up." Will he step up for you? On a hand or stick? Can you give him a treat, see if he responds?

 

[Blueridge]

I agree with everyone else. It looks like a begging behavior. I doubt it is anything bad. I've never owned a Macaw, though, so I'm not sure.

 

[MonicaMc]

Another shout out to begging behavior! My 19 year old conure does it when he wants out of his cage, he does it when he wants to leave the bird room, he does it when he wants to go back in the bird room....

He's flighted, so he *could* just fly to wherever he wants to go, as long as there's not a closed door in the way.... but he's kind of lazy about flying to where he wants to go! LOL



My 3, going on 4 year old conure used to pace frantically when she wanted to go somewhere (i.e. to me), but now that she can fly, she flies to me instead! The only issue thus far is that when she wants to go back to her cage, most of the time she wont fly.... although it hasn't been a big issue thus far.

 

[MikeyTN]

It's a excitment behavior! He's also trying to get your attention by doing so. If he's wanting to go somewhere or upset they will squat down and tremble their wings or lift their foot to you.

 

[Abigal7]

I noticed my bird follows me around when in its cage (it will go to the cage side closes to me) or get on the cage door when shut. My bird will lift one of his feet up when I go near the cage. You can open the cage and let the bird come to you and you can let the bird practice step up on a stick before offering your hand.