It apparent to me that one of the biggest problems in bird ownership is with the bird who is only bonded to a single individual in the house. I hear about it almost daily. Interestingly enough, many people dont even see it as a problem, or as the origins of the problem they are currently describing. In many. many cases, issues of screaming and biting are rooted in the birds unwillingness to interact with all family members.
Birds are highly social creatures. It is the strength of the social structure that keeps a wild flock alive and healthy, and they associate with each individual in the flock. They will have their mates, and other preferred relationships, but they are at least tolerant of all members. Although, around breeding season, a bird can become very defensive with another in the flock who too closely approaches his or her mate, lunging, threatening, sometimes attacking.
These flock dynamics also exist with captive-bred birds. The difference, of course, being that their flock is comprised mainly of humans. Within its flock, a captive bird, like a wild one, will select its favorite. That may be you, and it is bound to make you feel pretty special. The bird only wants to ride on your shoulder, only wants to nuzzle and cuddle with you, and would prefer that the rest of the flock be elsewhere.
If you allow this attachment to continue, your bird will begin to look at you as more than just a friend and will begin to act defensively when the other flock members try to interact with it, or worse, make the mistake of approaching you. You now have a big problem on your hands, or shoulder. Your bird screams for your constant attention because no other member of the flock is satisfactory. It bites to ward off any potential suitors.
I really do understand how wonderful it is to feel that your bird has selected you that is finds you to be the most trustworthy and desirable of all of the possible candidates in the house. Naturally, you will want to nurture this special bond and be all that your bird wants and needs. But you must understand that in doing so, it is a terrible disservice to your bird and that you are compromising its future.
If you allow your bird to be a one person bird, to the point where it will not tolerate anyone else, you will guarantee that it will be disliked by the rest of the household. The screaming for your attention and unpredictable behavior will make it unpleasant to have around, and perhaps even dangerous.
In your absence, your bird will have no one. And in the event of your death, the bird will land in the hands of the nearest rescue or the first person who is willing to take him, where the problems will continue. The relationship may conclude with an ultimatum by your real mate that either they or the bird must go.
It is imperative that you be certain that your bird is, at least in some way, bonded to the entire family.That must begin from the first day you bring him home. Every member of the family must handle the bird, share in its upkeep, and spend meaningful time with it during playtime or in training.
If you are currently experiencing this problem, you must step back from the bird and allow the others in the house to step forward to participate in the birds care and handling. You must allow them to build a relationship from square one, while you wait in the background. There will be lots of screaming and carrying on as your bird makes this important adjustment. Be patient with it and ask the family to do the same. Whenever you step in to quiet the screaming, it will cause a set back in the process. Remember that you are doing this for the long-term good of your bird.
Once your family has earned the birds trust, and try to be as certain of this as possible, you can resume physical interaction with it. If it shows signs of trying to renew that singular bond with you, hand it off to the nearest family member unless it is showing aggression. In this event, return it to its cage and let someone else retrieve it after a short while.
Your bird will still be likely to have a preferred person, perhaps you, but it will enjoy a more fulfilling life with a multitude of playmates and will no longer spend its entire day pining for the attentions of a single person.
Author Patty Jourgensen specializes in avian health, behavior and nutrition and has been working with and caring for rescue birds since 1987.
One theory suggests that birds have a genetic predisposition to move away from a specific family member in an attempt to find someone who shares the same genes, even though experts are unsure of why this occurs. This is evident in birds that are hand fed. For example, if a young bird bonds to a woman or is hand-fed by her when it is still young, that bird will grow up to prefer men.
Parrots in captivity become one-person birds. This species of bird quickly bonds strongly to one person in the home, especially in cases where it has no cagemates or mates. The relationship is so strong, in fact, that other residents are usually avoided to the point where the parrot will bite them. Why?.
If someone isn’t interested in him, he might try to bite them or ignore them. Though nothing is absolute in life, and I’m not suggesting this will happen to every household, as people mature sexually, their likes and dislikes can change, and they may end up falling in love with the person they detested the most.
While this behavior is endearing, it can also be frustrating. What makes this difficult is that someone could buy a parrot to own, only to discover when they get home that the bird would rather be attached to someone else. As much as there are some options, once the bird has selected “his person,” it rarely changes.
It is impossible to control who a parrot will bond with in the house. Nonetheless, there are methods to stop this behavior in very young birds. The intention is to present the bird to as many individuals as possible. The bird should be handled by men, women, and children of both sexes while it is still young.
I completely get how amazing it is to feel as though your bird has chosen youthat is, that it believes you to be the most dependable and attractive candidate in the house. Naturally, you’ll want to foster this unique relationship and attend to all of your bird’s needs and desires. But you have to realize that you are seriously harming your bird and jeopardizing its future if you do this.
Since 1987, author Patty Jourgensen has worked with and taken care of rescue birds. She is an expert in avian health, behavior, and nutrition.
You can resume having physical interactions with the bird once your family has gained its trust, and you should make every effort to confirm this. Give it to the closest family member if it seems to be trying to rekindle their special bond with you, unless it is acting aggressively. If this happens, put it back in its cage and allow someone else to get it after a little period of time.
If you are having this issue right now, you need to move away from the bird and let the other members of the household take over the responsibility of caring for and handling it. You have to step back and let them establish a relationship from the beginning. As your bird adjusts to this significant change, there will be a lot of screams and continued activity. Have patience with it and urge your family to follow suit. Every time you intervene to stop the screaming, the situation will regress. Keep in mind that you are taking this action for your bird’s long-term benefit.
Birds are highly social creatures. A wild flock’s social structure is what keeps it alive and well, and each member of the flock is connected to the others. They are at least accepting of all members, even though they will have their partners and other preferred relationships. However, during the breeding season, a bird may become extremely defensive of a flock member who approaches their partner too closely, lunging, threatening, and occasionally attacking.
FAQ
What birds bond to one person?
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