Parrots in the wild communicate through a complex language comprised of body postures and movements combined with vocalizations. Some vocalizations and postures vary based on the size of the parrot. While not every parrot will perform these body language behaviors exactly the same, if you pay close attention to your bird, you will begin to understand them much better.

We have outlined a few of the many, many parrot body anguage clues we encounter as new parrot owners.

• Growling: When a parrot makes a growling sound, it is sometimes also flashing its pupils and raising the feathers on the back of the neck. This is a signal that the parrot does not wish to be approached, picked up, bothered, and indicates that if you insist on doing so, you very well may be bitten! It means it is time to back off and leave the bird alone to calm down for a while before attempting interaction.
• Purring: Some parrots make a purring sound, almost like a cat's purr. This is not accompanied by dilated pupils and the feathers are held in a relaxed, fluffy posture. This posture, without the accompanying sound, indicates contentment.
• Clicking the Beak: When a parrot makes a sharp clicking sound with its beak, it usually indicates that it feels threatened. It can also be used as a signal that it is protecting something such as a toy, mate or particular person or space. When this clicking occurs, the bird's neck may be stretched forward and the bird may even raise one foot. This is CLEARLY a defensive signal, used for warding off an intruder. Watch this behavior because it is another sure signal that you will probably get a nasty bite.
• Tongue Clicking: Smaller parrots seldom click their tongues, but many large species can he heard making clear clicking sounds with their tongues. Frequently, cockatoos do this, and a few cockatiels will tongue click. With cockatiels, it often sounds a bit more like a clucking sounds. This behavior indicates the bird wants to interact and be friendly, perhaps even wants to be picked up and scratched.
• Beak Grinding: If you have ever heard a person under stress grind their teeth, then you'll easily recognized this sounds when it occurs. When a parrot feels content, relaxed and safe, it will scrape the lower mandible (lower beak) against the upper mandible. It is often a prelude to sleep or nap-time and can even be heard when parrots are sleeping. There is some conjecture that the purpose of this behavior is to clean the inside of the beak, but that is uncertain.
• Wiping the Beak: There are two situations in which a parrot will perform beak wiping. This first is a common sense reason: they have food or debris such as a loose down feather stuck on their beak and wants to maintain their fastidiousness by cleaning the beak.
  The second situation where beak wiping is seen is when another parrot is present. In this situation, the one wiping its beak is telling the other parrot that it has intruded into personal space and should back off a bit. It isn't as aggressive a behavior as growling or beak clicking, but is more of a warning measure. It generally says, "Don't come any closer to me, if you do I might get really mad."
• Panting: The last body language element we'll look at today goes along with the article on temperature. When a parrot pants, it could be overheated. It could also be overexerted or extremely uncomfortable. If a parrot runs away from danger, flies when it is not used to flying, it will pant from too much exercise. If a parrot feels extremely nervous and in danger, it pants as a response to the experience for a short time or under the danger leaves.

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Beak Grinding
written by Kate , July 16, 2007

Thanks for the info. I just bought my first Quaker Parrot and he grinds his beak. I thought that he was stressed out everytime he would grind his beak. Thanks, I feel better knowing that he's a happy bird.

i finally understand my bird
written by Jim , May 20, 2008

Ive had this adult(not sure of age) blue n gold macaw for about 5 months now. Every single time I approach her, she growls,pupils flutter,raises feathers on neck,and assumes a "karate kid like" one legged kick maneuver. I always thought this was her special way of saying hi to me.Now I find out she really hates me. Guess this article was way too informative!!! Shes only bit me twice so far, and my scars should be healed in a couple of decades or so. Its a real challenge to get a used bird for your first one.

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