Parrot fights/bickering

kme3388 · Aug 26, 2023

Hi everyone,

I’ve ran into some challenges with my conures. At times they get along, and look like best friends. At other times one would think these two are mortal enemies. They do definitely bicker with the best of them. I’ve never seen any serious injury.

What would be considered going too far for parrot bickering/arguing/fighting?

onamom · Aug 26, 2023

Well for one they are both ADORABLE! I would consider any injury over the line. Or if there was intense resource guarding to where one bird couldn't get food or something.

kme3388 · Aug 26, 2023

I am guessing that some bickering in between parrots is normal. When I volunteered at a shelter all of the parrots there once in a great while got snippy with one another. I wasn’t sure how to view what is normal bickering, and what is not, and would be considered going too far. I myself haven’t seen a “real” parrot fight. I’ve of course seen the results of a “real” parrot fight at the shelter I volunteered at which included broken beaks, toes missing, feet missing, and such. Some were rehomed for this purpose.

Do these little spit spats my parrots have at times lead up to the “real” fights?

DonnaBudgie · Aug 26, 2023

kme3388 said:
Hi everyone,

I’ve ran into some challenges with my conures. At times they get along, and look like best friends. At other times one would think these two are mortal enemies. They do definitely bicker with the best of them. I’ve never seen any serious injury.

What would be considered going too far for parrot bickering/arguing/fighting?

View attachment 53759

Bickering and arguing are normal and okay; fighting is normal and NOT okay, especially in the artificial confines of a cage. I would hesitate to keep two birds that could injure each other in the same cage. I'm not sure there is any real benefit for the birds to be kept together when you consider the risk. Two cages side by side or one with a divider would seem ideal. Maybe I worry excessively but I would feel horrible if one got injured (as would anyone) when I wasn't home to break it up and separate them.
If they are in the cage sometimes when you're home to intervene it seems safe enough to cage them together but for periods when you aren't home I would cage them separately. Sleeping together may be okay, too, since you'd be awakened quickly by screaming.
Except for Rocky, my budgies all share spacious cages (male female pairs in each cage) and the pairs are very compatible. They squabble now and then but there has never been any aggression. If I saw any signs of real aggression I would break up a pair before risking injury.
But I don't know if conures are as easy going as "most" budgies. Generally, female budgies can be very bossy and fight moreso than males, though I have never had one that aggressive, but I don't keep females together.

Free as a bird · Aug 26, 2023

kme3388 said:
Hi everyone,

I’ve ran into some challenges with my conures. At times they get along, and look like best friends. At other times one would think these two are mortal enemies. They do definitely bicker with the best of them. I’ve never seen any serious injury.

What would be considered going too far for parrot bickering/arguing/fighting?

View attachment 53759

Bickering, sparring or arguing is ok.
If they're biting then that is not acceptable in my book that's crossing the line into fighting

clark_conure · Aug 26, 2023

My green cheek and sun conure are best friends, brothers even.........and they squabble. If none of them are getting hurt it may just posturing. ALSO THOSE ARE BEAUTIFUL SUNS!

texsize · Aug 26, 2023

Very good question.
It’s a question I worry over also because of my Amazon pair.
my cage setup is kind of unique with 2 cages connected to each other though a small door.
Sometimes Merlin gets a little too aggressive towards Luna and Luna can go to the other cage and get away from him.

If it was to get really bad I could close off each cage and keep them separate. Haven’t needed to do that in long time.
Both my amazons are young and I think with time Merlin will calm down some more.

Someone is nearly always home so I am not worried about my pair.

As far as a real parrot fight.

It’s a bit like the difference between two cats play fighting and two cat’s fighting for real.
A play fight is slow and the punches don’t have claws.
A real fight is just a blur of motion with fur coming off in clumps.

From what I have seen when birds fight for real it’s fast and furious

kme3388 · Aug 26, 2023

I have a male & female conure. They both seem hormonal at this time. They’ve been bickering more than usual.

If I split them apart, and let them out separate they scream (contact call) all day. If I put them together, and let them out together they bicker at times. Generally it’s just lunging, and such. I’ve never seen aggressive biting. My male tends to be a bit more aggressive then my female. He is asserting himself. My female is more shy, hesitant, or timid in nature.

I am not sure if this is like ducks (mallards) to where they get very aggressive during breeding seasons. With mallards the males will fight to mate with a female, they hold down the female, and attack her. It’s not exactly a delightful situation to see. I’m trying to figure out if I’m supposed to just let my conures go at it until it balances out sense it’s not aggressive biting.

I cannot figure this situation out!

Vampiric_Conure · Aug 26, 2023

Yeah, if fighting leads to bites, I would separate them. Most of the time, it's lunging and squealing with a lot of posturing.

DonnaBudgie · Aug 27, 2023

texsize said:
Very good question.
It’s a question I worry over also because of my Amazon pair.
my cage setup is kind of unique with 2 cages connected to each other though a small door.
Sometimes Merlin gets a little too aggressive towards Luna and Luna can go to the other cage and get away from him.

If it was to get really bad I could close off each cage and keep them separate. Haven’t needed to do that in long time.
Both my amazons are young and I think with time Merlin will calm down some more.

Someone is nearly always home so I am not worried about my pair.

As far as a real parrot fight.

It’s a bit like the difference between two cats play fighting and two cat’s fighting for real.
A play fight is slow and the punches don’t have claws.
A real fight is just a blur of motion with fur coming off in clumps.

From what I have seen when birds fight for real it’s fast and furious

I don't think birds play-fight like cats and dogs do.

Greenhouseparrots · Aug 27, 2023

I don't know what the answer is, but my birds all squabble with each other occasionally and then a few minutes later will preen each other like nothing happened. They've never actually hurt each other whilst doing this but if they did then I'd separate them.

kme3388 · Aug 27, 2023

For now these 2 will be out together. Both have separate cages (side by side), and can hide if need be. I’m just hoping their bickering doesn’t escalate.

texsize · Aug 27, 2023

DonnaBudgie said:
I don't think birds play-fight like cats and dogs do.

Not quite what I meant.
I grew up around cats and in some ways very familiar with them.
Anyone who has seen 2 cats fighting versus 2 cats play fighting can never confuse real fighting from play fighting.

This is also the difference between a minor disagreement between parrots (I want to sit where you are sitting) compared to a (I hate your guts) fight.
An all out fight is going to be fast and likely feathers will fly (like fur will fly in a real cat fight).
That’s what I was trying to say.

I don’t know what to call how my Twins play with each other.
Sometimes it looks like play fighting. Most of the time it’s playing with the same toy at the same time bit it can lead to play “biting “ each other.

texsize · Aug 27, 2023

Greenhouseparrots said:
I don't know what the answer is, but my birds all squabble with each other occasionally and then a few minutes later will preen each other like nothing happened. They've never actually hurt each other whilst doing this but if they did then I'd separate them.

I have seen this also, many many times.
My twins will be playing and someone gets a little rough (Merlin usually) and a loud scream.
next time I look they are grooming each other