Why does my bird keep dropping his food in the water?

[Pisco1412]

I've read about this before but I didn't mine would do it, but my quaker parrot started dropping food in the water. Rice, bread, vegetables, seeds, pellets, fruits, meat, egg; pretty much a little bit of everything! And he doesn't even eat any of them.

Why is he doing that? Is he spicing up his water or something? lol

 

[Allee]

Quakers and a lot of other parrots enjoy making soup. It's like an art project for them, the challenge is seeing how much stuff they can add to the water dish before a well meaning human removes the soup and brings them a fresh water supply. Given enough time, your bird will find that vegetable dyed toy parts add lovely colors to the mess and pooping in the bowl adds shock value.

 

[cnyguy]

Parrots seem to have different reasons for dropping food into their drinking water. Some do it to soften the food, some to make "parrot soup" in their water, and some do it just for fun or to vex their human slaves.

 

[MustLoveAnimals]

My Amazon drops her pellets in her water to soften them. But there are always a few pieces that fall to the bottom of the bowl, so I have to clean it out a few times a day.

 

[Psittaciformes]

Kiwiberry is also a pellet dunker, she sometimes drops them though and grabs a new one instead.

 

[strudel]

I think cnyguy has it nailed: "to vex their human slaves"

 

[Scott]

I see great variety within my flock, even among species. Some are incessant dunkers while others approach the water dish simply to drink.

 

[strudel]

while others approach the water dish simply to drink.

Wanna swap?

 

[4dugnlee]

My U2 dunks her pellets/crackers/toast...pretty much anything "dry" that I give her. I haven't seen her leave her food in the water though...just dunks to soften it.

 

[Terry57]

My CAG is a dunker, puts food, new foot toys, anything we give him in there. My lovebirds also throw anything that is not nailed down into their water.
Thankfully, most of the rest are not that interested in "vexing this human slave"

 

[LeaKP]

My gcc Peep is a dunker and thoroughly enjoys watching me change his water three times daily!