You are here:

Budgies/bird bird behavior

Advertisement

Expert: - 1/10/2007


Question
hi, I have two parakeets who are too young to tell the gender of. They really like each other and constantly groom and press their beaks together. recently my older bird seems to be trying to get on top of the otherbird. my other bird just moves away. Tonight as ive been looking in their cage the older birdhas been acting funny. he has been hanging upside down and scooting around thebars of his cage.he even has done little flips on the bars. Im wondering if this is some sort of mating dance. could you tell me more about it? if it isnta matig dance, could you tell  me what it is? thanks already!

Answer
Hi, Lydia.  Thanks for posting!

It sounds to me like the bird is playing when it hangs upside down and scooting around the cage bars.  When it gets on top of the other bird, it is "practicing" mating behavior, but if your birds are too young to determine sex, it's just practicing at this point.

Chrys

Budgies

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Chrys Meatyard

Expertise

I`ve been raising/breeding/handfeeding/selling parrots for over 20 years (parakeets/budgies, cockatiels, 6 subspecies of conures, parrotlets, amazons, lovebirds, etc.). I've been published in "Budgies" and "Cockatiels" offered by Bow Tie Productions, and have written avian articles for publication in England. I can provide advice in raising healthy birds, handfeeding/weaning babies, some health problems, nail/beak/wing clipping, general husbandry, etc. I also have experience with racing/showing homing pigeons. I cannot diagnose specific illness over this website. If you suspect your bird is ill or if you have an emergency, contact a certified avian veterinarian or emergency pet clinic ASAP.

Experience

Over 20 years breeding/raising/handfeeding/selling 15 different species of parrots.

Education/Credentials
American Federation of Aviculture, completed Level I course, Fundamentals of Aviculture. Keeping/breeding parrots and other birds for over 20 years.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.