Pecking Order in our Flocks!

[Talon]

There are many of us here that own a variety of birds. I am interested in knowing the pecking order and how it came to be.

 

I think it would be interesting to see everyone's situation and how it is in their homes. I used to think it was 'size' based, as a friend told me, but I am seeing that isn't necessarily the case.

 

In my home, I had Talon, a tag who came to me at 8 1/2 week first. She was our only bird for 3 years. Next came Rikki, a cag, who was 2 1/2 years old when she came to me and I was her 4th home. I had her for 2 years before Nilah my amazon came to us. Nilah was 6 months old and came from a bird store. They are all girls!

As for size, Talon is 326 grams, Rikki 459, Nilah 409, although body size, Nilah looks the biggest.

 

Nilah and Rikkirule the roost in my house, Talon most of the time gives in when they decide they want to be in that spot, or eat the food or whatever. They don't bully her, just after what it is they want and she willingly flies off.

 

There have been times where she has chased them flying thru the house playing with them as they yell their heads off! Occasionally she will attempt to fight for her spot, but they are so much bigger and have stronger personalities, she eventually gives in.

 

Due to Rikki and Nilah's way, I always try to make life more special for Talon, I always make sure she gets hand fed if she's not allowed to eat off my plate, I give her special one on one time when I can. In the afternoon when the others go in their cages so I can go upstairs and work, I allow Talon to stay out as she is so well behaved. She is always the first to get up in the morning and brought downstairs before the others get up. Things like that.

As for personality, Talon is sweet and very passive. Rikki is moody, and more dominant. Nilah is more possessive of me, and as an amazon want what she wants when she wants it.

They do all perch on me together at night when things are quieting down for the night and do just fine, and as I am going upstairs I the morning to shower, I carry them all together as a human tree perch and they do fine as long as I keep them apart and at the same level.

 

I just thought it would be interesting to see how the pecking order works in others homes.

[birdhouse]

There's no question that Sundance, my tiel is the benevolent dictator here. At one point, I was fostering a Patagonian Conure who had gone crazy mean & brutally loud. He was also the biggest bird in the house at the time. The others couldn't stand him. Phenix would sit in a corner, cry & yell "Stoppit!" repeatedly trying to get him to be quiet.

 

Sundance had pretty much ignored the whole situation. The conure, I'd noticed, never bothered w/him. I had thought it was because he was the smallest & pretty ancient by then. I figured the other birds who were bigger & younger, seemed more of a threat.

 

The conure had been here a couple of weeks & had really amped it up one day (attitude & noise). Everyone was in their cages, mostly looking miserable. Phenix yelling w/no effect. Me trying to figure out how to fix this before it damaged the entire flock. Then the most amazing thing happened & I was sitting center court when it did.

 

None of the chaos had ruffled a feather on Sundance before then. But this particular day was so bad that even he had apparently had enough. He made his way to the highest part of his cage. Then he just looked down on the conure, deliberately made direct eye contact across the room & just barely shook his wings at the big bird ...who went instantly silent! Body language & all, it was like someone threw a switch.

 

I could never have imagined anything like it. I still have no explanation for why Sundance could shut him down like that. But it was THE most stunning thing to see.

 

Fortunately, Sundance doesn't really bother to actively rule the roost very often. Everyone talks w/him. They're welcome by to visit occasionally. He rarely leaves his cage anymore.

 

But he will invade Phenix' "No Fly Zone" if he has a mind. He's the only one who gets away w/even thinking about it. Phenix just cusses him out quietly from the other side of the cage. Even still though I'm usually right behind. He's just too old & fragile to tempt fate. But Sundance is most often gone before I even get there. I think he just enjoys "tweaking Phenix' tail" occasionally. Just to remind him who's boss.

[Talon]

That's a great story! I would have loved to seen Sundance give the look...I wonder what body language he had that we as humans dont notice but it was clear to the conure. Thanks for sharing!

[Luvparrots]

Well, let's see. Ana Grey, tag, was the first parrot in my home. Came in at 4 months and is now 3 1/2 years old. Then there is Louie, a re-homed BF amazon. Louie tries very hard to do what I ask of him. He so wants to please me. He was 2 1/2 years old when I go him and he is now 4 years old. My third parrot is a 10 month of Cag, Sterling Gris, that I have had since he was 5 months old. Ana Grey weighs in at 305 g; Louie, I don't know because I can't get him to let me weigh him; Sterling Gris weighs in at 505 g. Of the three Ana Grey the smallest is in charge. She is the feisty one, the boldest one and sets the tone for everyone. She has no qualms about pecking at or on the other two if she so wants something they have or to be somewhere they are and she wants them to move. She is the quickest for the three. Ana Grey can be a gentle bird, when I first got Sterling Gris, he was still one a feeding in the evening, more comfort than a need. Ana Grey would quietly sit on my shoulder while I tempted to feed Sterling Gris, she never interfered just watched. When Sterling was finished eating, she ate the remainder. She was patient. Perhaps she knew he was young so she understood he needed me. Now she torments him to no end if she wants what he has. Louie will try to stand his ground with Ana Grey but she always wins because she is fearless and very quick. Sterling Gris tries to hold his ground, he also does a lot of screaming when he is picked on, but then he is still a youngster, more or less. I think both Ana Grey and Louie are kind of getting the idea that Sterling Gris will be the winner one day. After all he is the biggest and will always be the biggest and one day he will not be fearful of them and then they will need to look out and move over. So if there is pecking order in my home, it is #1 me, #2 Ana Grey, #3 Louie and #4 Sterling Gris. For now anyway.

[judygram]

As I have said before Sunny, my sun conure is the top bird, she is also the first parrot I brought into the house and she can have a feisty nature to her, she is not really scared of Josey although she is lots smaller than she is but she respects her space. Its a different story with Gypsy, my cockatiel who is more passive, Sunny will run her off my shoulder even though she is on the other one, she will sneak slowly over and one look from her and Gyspy will move off, she won't mess with Sunny but I am constantly reminding her that she should share but she wants me all to herself. I manage to provide enough time for each one to have some time alone with me. They are usually all out at the same time but Josey spends most of her time on top of her cage or playstand, Sunny is usually on me and Gypsy kind of spends some on the back of the couch or around different places and she takes a few flights for good measure.

[Ray P]

The queen mother in our house is Corky our CAG, but she was not the first bird. We have had cockatiels for 40 years but they stay preity much to them selfs.

The last bird to come to our house was Cricket our BFA who in her last home of 12 or 13 years was the she devil and put fear into every one there people and birds alike.

When Cricket saw Corky she did her amazon strut, but Corkys feathers stood up and she looked down at Cricket and proved with out a fight she was queen mother in this house.

Corky and Cricket have a respect for each other, but Corky is in charge and she won`t have it any other way.

 

If you notice in the picture to the left who is on the top of the perch

Edited January 16, 2012 by Ray P

[DawL]

Yeah, by far, Kiwi the Quaker rules this house. She fears no one... including Barnaby. She will let them know how she feels about something no questions asked. If Charlie, my Sun Conure decides to get loud, Kiwi will do her best to be louder. Their cages are rather close to one another... it is quite a sight...(and sound).

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

My birds, have no pecking order. Well maybe they do. Sophie, our grey, rules the animal kingdom, including the dogs. This legacy, was left to her from Max, our lhaso Apso. Sophie rules. Kiki our Amazon is in love with our Sunconure. They are a pair, and Sophie respects this.At times, they all live in one cage. They all chose their living arrangements. What I do know, push come to shove, if dogs or birds are in trouble, they all get together, and support each other. I've seen it! When Kiki my Amazon, was trapped under a gate, Dogs were going crazy when I got home from work. They led me to Kiki. She was on her last breath. I had to do CPR. They all were there and watching me... quiet as could be! I was surrounded by dogs and birds, waiting and expectinging me to bring back Kiki.I did.I'll never forget, the joining of different species, waiting and expecting me to help Kiki. She remembers also. She loves our pups, and has never forgotten them giving her room, to sleep with us. They were up all nite watching her, making sure she was okay. Nancy

[birdhouse]

Oh my goodness, that sounds like it must have been pretty scary! I'm glad it ended ok, though. How did Kiki manage to get out of her cage while you weren't there? Did she stop trying to escape after all that?