Q: My bird is really well behaved most of the time but when someone comes over she screams and if I let her out she tries to bite them. How can I stop this?

-Bryce H., Birmingham, AL

A: Birds are naturally concerned with anything new that appears in their environment. It is a safety protocol for them to be very aware of and familiar with everything in their vicinity because things that are out of place might indicate danger. When something new appears, red ...

cockatiel

I love cockatiels. So much. They are the sweetest, funniest, most agreeable and easy to read birds I have ever had or known. I hope to always have them in my life, so much so that I have to purposely avoid any I see at a bird store because I don’t trust myself to say no.

At this date, only two remain from my original flock of four cockatiels which were all housed in one large cage. While keeping ...

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Galahs/Rosebreasted Cockatoos, Merlin & Nemo investigating the eucalyptus tree in their aviary.

Recently, I’ve been noticeably quiet. I have had some health issues and I haven’t been able to do everything I would normally do in my everyday life, which has included everything I would normally do with my birds. As it turns out, I’ve been forced to learn that it isn’t easy to hand aspects of your birds’ everyday care over to someone else.

I’ve always considered myself lucky. I don’t live alone, I’m ...

Bluethroated macaw

This season seems to be handing out more than the average share of hormones to our companion birds. Oddly, I am hearing reports of rotten behavior from bird owners all over the world – even in places where it is autumn and not spring. I wish someone would do some research to explain why this sometimes happens.

Why are there some seasons so much worse than others on such a universal scale? Is there an unusual atmospheric condition that is triggering hormones that we don’t recognize? And while researchers are ...

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Blue and Gold Macaws

Q:  I have a 2 year old blue and gold macaw that is very sweet and has never bitten me.  I heard recently that at some point my bird will bite me.  Is this true?

-Mary, Springfield, IL

A:  This is a great question and an important topic for new bird owners.  Unfortunately, the answer to your question is most likely ‘yes”.  Parrots may bite for a number of different reasons ranging from fright to fear to aggression, with a host of different possibilities in between.  What is more ...

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