Tybalt and Beaker Allofeeding

[MarcusCAG]

So here we have one starry-eyed Indian Ringneck: ever since meeting Beaker after the quarantine, Tybalt's been all over him trying to make sure they become the best of friends. In the beginning, Beaker was quite resistant to Tybalt's advances, and whenever he would start up with his lovely, exotic cooing noises and everything, Beaker would yell and lunge. He bit Tybalt pretty hard a couple of times and made him scream, but thankfully there was no blood. Anyway. Beaker has mellowed a little bit over the past few days and Tybalt, as long as he doesn't start making his "lovey noises", is generally allowed to perch next to Beaker without any aggression popping up.

 

Yet twice now Tybalt has managed to feed Beaker, regurgitating what to me must have been the entire contents of his crop each time--he fed him so much! Today Beaker was in a bad Quaker mood (anyone familiar with Quaker parrots knows what I'm talking about!) and he was all cranky, lunging at Tybalt and screaming at him a lot. Tybalt side-stepped his lunges and just started head-bobbing... and even when Beaker yelled at him, he inched closer... and started feeding him. Beaker protested once or twice but then he just basically shut up and allowed himself to be fed! I watched the whole process, it was very intriguing to me... Afterward, Beaker was in a much better mood, all chirpy and making happy noises--and I just thought, Beaker, if you're really that hungry, just go and eat!!!

 

Anyway, I was under the impression that only bonded adult birds fed one another, or parent birds fed their babies. Beaker and Tybalt are not bonded as far as I can tell (although Tybalt might want to be!). Is this some display of courtship? Might a male parrot feed another male parrot? We don't know if Beaker is really male or female, we've always just assumed he's a male, but perhaps we've been totally wrong all this time. Anyone have any thoughts? Thank you...

[MarcusCAG]

*Bump!*

 

Anybody, anything? Thanks...

[Birdnut]

Well, I have to stop laughing first.

 

I guess if our birds can try to regurgitate for us without being a bonded pair, they could regurgitate for another bird. Maybe Beaker reminds Tybalt of someone he once loved. Hey, he is green, after all. Maye it's some seasonal drive, and Tybalt is looking for the nearest candidate to take it out on.

 

There's no figuring why one bird is attracted to another. Our male grey loves our female pionus, but alas, she's having none of it.

[MarcusCAG]

Well, I have to stop laughing first.

 

I guess if our birds can try to regurgitate for us without being a bonded pair, they could regurgitate for another bird. Maybe Beaker reminds Tybalt of someone he once loved. Hey, he is green, after all. Maye it's some seasonal drive, and Tybalt is looking for the nearest candidate to take it out on.

 

There's no figuring why one bird is attracted to another. Our male grey loves our female pionus, but alas, she's having none of it.

 

Now that you mention it... the guy we adopted Tybalt from said that in his first home, he lived with a Military macaw and a Quaker parrot. Maybe he was best buds with the other Quaker??? Hm. That would explain some things!

 

Your poor Grey! I guess birdie romances can be quite involved sometimes, and heartbreaking... just like for us humans...

 

Thanks for your insightful reply, Birdnut!