Sreeching in the middle of the night

[Flip]

I posted this yesterday in the behaviour forum, but I'm reposting with additions...

Kiwi lives in the den during the day, but we put her into our bedroom to sleep at night so that she can get her uninterrupted 12 hours.

She has started doing something really strange: three nights ago she let out an ear-piercing shriek in the middle of the night. I went and checked on her, and she looked like she was still sleeping. I was just about to fall asleep and she did it again. Then she started what I call her "happy cluck." Every time I was just about to fall back asleep, she shrieked again. Last night she was quiet most of the night, but let out a shriek at 6am, and then every 10 minutes until we got up. This morning, she shrieked at EXACTLY 6am again. It's bizarre. Could she be "talking" in her sleep? Having a bad dream? Ready to get up? Is there anything I can do for her?

[linda040899]

At 6:00 a.m., the outside birds have been up and about foraging for food for roughly 30 minutes. To Kiwi, it's time to get up, greet the world and eat! Don't know if covering the cage or having your bedroom completely dark will change her internal clock.

[Bubblelady]

she let out an ear-piercing shriek in the middle of the night. I went and checked on her, and she looked like she was still sleeping.

I agree with Linda. Buddy's loudest calls are those she uses to "answer" outdoor birdies. And she will do them in the early morning without distrubing her "sleeping" posture. Luckily for me, she only answers when the call is particulary loud or close by. She is especially responsive to the blue jays. I used to go to get her up, thinking she was calling me, only to find her still snuggled & content in her hut. Until I realized she wasn't calling me, just answering her wild friends :)

[Chickobee]

Our birds will sometimes get going in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. When I check I have never found any reason.

I wonder if possibly they have seen an owl through the window or hear a coyote or raccoon eating cat food on the porch. Or, sometimes we forget to close our bedroom door so I think they hear Dave talking in his sleep! Maybe they think they should respond?

Only one time has there been a cause and those noises were very obviously distress. That was when Pixie was caught in a thread from her happy hut. Believe me! You will know it if there is something seriously wrong that requires your immediate response.

When I hear the birds in the night I listen for a minute and then go back to sleep when I determine all is well.