Not just body language but eye language?

[CuteMandaPanda]

I read the body language most frequently seen post, well parts of it.

 

I just wanted to throw this out there? What have you learned in terms of body language, but with their eyes? I notice their eyes dilate in different ways, but haven't figured out yet what I might be able to know about his eye language.

 

I've also read that there's something called "eye games" that you can do with your bird. Has anyone done this sort of exercise with their bird?

[Luvparrots]

What are eye games???? Details please!!!!

[particle77]

I'm not sure if this is what you mean by eye games, but I used to play a blinking game with my eclectus. I would watch her for a while and blink every time she blinked. She would normally catch on and start blinking more often, to see me blink, and altering the length. Sometimes blinking with just one eye, or both. Eventually she'd get crafty and close both her eyes for a long time, then open them to see if my eyes were open. We would also reverse the game sometimes, so I was instigating the blinking and she was copying.

 

I have no idea how you would actually train this, it just kind of came about naturally from me mimicking her.

[Jane08]

I guess eye games are things like looking at the bird with only one eye. With shy birds they say don't maintain eye contact, look away if you see the bird looking. Then there is the blinking game.

 

You can tell alot from their eyes. Like I know if they are eating something they really like their eyes will go from big to small very quickly. I always watch this when I give them something new even a toy to see what the eye reaction is which tells me whether they are excited by it or not.

 

Also if they are angry then the pupils are very small. If they are relaxed the pupils are big although I have also noticed with Rangi he can be relaxed with big pupils but there is something else in his eyes that tells me don't touch me. It's almost like a glare that he gives off.

[jules1962]

i know what you mean by the big pupils when relaxed, but don't mess with me look at the same time. I never heaed of eye games though, should be an interesting topic.

[CuteMandaPanda]

Jane08, that's what I was referring to as far as eye games. Thanks for clarifying because I haven't had a chance to come back to this post yet. It's mostly for shy birds that are uncomfortable by making direct eye contact. From what I read it says often times a bird will be less nervous if you look at them through squinted eyes, squinted eyes that are even almost closed. You can look at them with one eye, maybe even alternate which eye. Did you ever notice that a bird will only view you or an object with his head turned?

[Jane08]

Yes they view objects through one eye because they have monocular vision which means the field of view is increased while depth perception is limited. So they have the ability to see 2 objects at once because their eyes are positioned on the side of their heads.

[jules1962]

I notice a huge difference between my fids. As you say, Nelson is very shy and will avoid most eye contact with any one he does not trust and will look at them through one eye with his head on one side. At the sane time he will have his head feathers flattened and his neck feathers fluffed, thats when i know he's uncomfortable with somebody looking at him. Casper is usually very chilled out and always has his head and neck feathers fluffed and big relaxed pupils, but now and again if he's not in the mood for a cuddle or playing. He will still be in relaxed feather mode, but he will be pin eyed. Thats when i don't mess with him lol