Be my dictionary... (body language)

[dawng]

Hi all. My little Jazz has been home for 4 days now and is so cute! Being new to birds, and wanting to build a good relationship with our little pal, we are trying to be observant and learn birdie body lanquage. So...

1. Fluffed up feathers: I am nervous or feeling threatened? (did this when my son picked him up this morning)

2. This one is wierd (maybe). Twice we have seen him "yawn" several times in a row. He pushes his head forward a bit with each one. We are lost on this one. Is he really yawning? Since he does it more than once at a time, I figured that maybe he is not happy about something.

Right now is cuddled up on my shoulder - preening and making these little beak grinding kind of noises. These beak noises seem to happen when he is relaxed.

I would love to hear your feedback and any other birdie body "words" that we newbies may not be aware of yet.

Thank you!
Dawn & Jazz

[Janie]

Hi all. My little Jazz has been home for 4 days now and is so cute! Being new to birds, and wanting to build a good relationship with our little pal, we are trying to be observant and learn birdie body lanquage. So...

1. Fluffed up feathers: I am nervous or feeling threatened? (did this when my son picked him up this morning)

2. This one is wierd (maybe). Twice we have seen him "yawn" several times in a row. He pushes his head forward a bit with each one. We are lost on this one. Is he really yawning? Since he does it more than once at a time, I figured that maybe he is not happy about something.

Right now is cuddled up on my shoulder - preening and making these little beak grinding kind of noises. These beak noises seem to happen when he is relaxed.

I would love to hear your feedback and any other birdie body "words" that we newbies may not be aware of yet.

Thank you!
Dawn & Jazz

Hi Dawn,

My babies fluffed up regularly and often in the first year.....and still do more than Oliver who is much older. Fluffing up can be a sign of illness and if I observed Oliver (he's 11) doing it more than occasionally, I would take him to the vet but in younger birds it is normal.

Yawning is something else I saw them do sometimes and I figured it was because they were young and they were tired! :) I don't think I've seen them yawn in a very long time but they might have and I missed it.

Beak grinding is the best sound and when you hear that, you know you have a very happy (and relaxed) lovie! :D

[Kween]

I found that most times my lovie was fluffed, it was either because she was irate with something (and it was usually followed by her indignant little Keffkeff noise, how cute), or she was interested in a bath and was letting me know. ;)

My bird yawns too, she mostly does that when she's sleepy. I've never seen her do it when she's not relaxing.

And beak grinding! Hurray! :D You seem to be well on your way to have a great relationship with your little fellah if he's already doing that!

[michael]

Hi Dawn and Jazz :). My single male lovie will fluff up every now and then, usually in response to socializing or being moved. Thats usually normal for him. If I were to notice him fluffed on the bottom of the cage, or in a corner somewhere too often, I would keep an eye on him and other habits as well like eating, activity, pooping, etc. Fluffing up can mean their trying to maintain their normally high body temperature due to illness. My Goofy bird also yawns a handful of times throughout the day, especially if relaxing with me. Nothing like a good view of their tongue and a bit of beak grinding to go with it. Its wonderful your taking the time to learn Jazz's body language. After a while, like human children we start to suspect when their just not feeling right. Really, it sounds as though Jazz is already feeling right at home :).....................Michael and Goofy lovebird

[Bomom]

Hi
My Bo "Yawns" when she is very relaxed and happy we like to think she is smiling. I can get her to do it if I skritch in the right place , around her ears :rofl: My Budgie does it to . And as for fluffing its when she is cranky and if it is a little cool and when water is running . Beak grinding is a very good sign. We moved to a new house a week ago and she has been acting out a bit since. Today she really wanted to explore the whole place so I took her in every room and afterward she did not want to go back to her cage. I think thats a good sign as well :clap . We have not bird proofed all the windows so I think she senses my being worried about her flying into one.