Grey drops his wings

[Lee]

Hello

My African Grey is almost a year old and he has just started to do a little flying. Two weeks ago he started to drop both wings and make some wierd moaning sound just for a second. Is that normal. He is in perfect health and is happy and flaps his feathers and does all the normal stuff but just drops his feathers every now and then. What do you think?

[dblhelix]

Do you mean lowering his wings, or dropping feathers? Lowering the wings and sort of looking around is often body language indicating they are about to fly or want to go somewhere. Dropping feathers would most likely be related to molting. Can you describe the "moaning" sound in more detail? Seems most likely like some normal body language and communication but its tough w/o more info and/or actually seeing him do it!

[HannibalTheCrow]

My Edgar does the same thing but he doesnt moan. And, usually he just wants to go someplace other than where he is.

[Dave007]

Dropping Wings--Sexual Urges

Scenarios--A person goes to their grey either in or out of the cage and asks the bird to *step up*. The bird does so and out of nowhere,immediately, each wing slightly spreads and drops down and covers the complete sides of his/her body. Sometimes, the wings drop so low that even the legs can't be seen. The bird puffs up the feathers on it's head and starts to huff or puff or both. The sound is very low. The bird tries to bring it's feathers down to cover the hand it's standing on. The feathers remain downn. It really doesn't want to get off the hand. Basically, it looks like the bird is nuzzling which is exactly what it's doing. Baby birds, immature and mature birds do that frequently with their owners. The worst thing to do is pet the bird in ANY area. The bird will huff a little faster meaning that it's getting abit more aroused. Put the bird back in or on the cage. If the bird won't let go (which happens many times), instead of moving the bird forward to a perch, put your hand behind the perch and move your hand forward towards yourself. The bird will hop off onto the perch. Walk away for a couple of minutes. More than likely, if you go back to him/her and ask the bird to step up,the bird will step up and he/she won't repeat the wing dropping. Greys do this quite often and never get upset by that. Nature is telling them to do that. A bird doesn't have to be sexually mature when doing this. All age birds do this. All of this can also happen to relaxed birds that might be on someone's lap/knee/arm/fist sitting on a chair/couch watching TV. Not to worry, just put the bird away from you for a couple of minutes and then reconnect with the bird if you want to. Rest assured that the bird is telling you that you're providing comfort and good feelings towards him/her.

 

Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/11/27 04:03

 

Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/11/27 04:12<br><br>Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/11/27 05:16

[spookyhurst]

It's the time of year for horny greys. Nikko goes through this every winter. Yesterday was day one of regurgitating and wind dropping. It's my mom that brings this out in her. Nikko will rub her head all over my mom's hand and then start trying to regurgitate. Any other time of year, we can pet her back with no problem, but she's going to have to settle for head and neck scratches for a month or two.

[danmcq]

MrSpock - Ok, now you have me VERY inquisitive and I just have to know.... :-)

 

Whats happens if you don't put him back and just let him continue? :ohmy: :side: B)

 

Inquiring minds need to know!!

[lovemyGreys]

:laugh: Dan !

 

A great reply Dave, my female does this wing dropping, moaning etc, i get her to step up & place her on her playstand & walk away for a while as i always thought it was best not to encourage this behaviour,Am i right ti discourage this ?

[SFsailor]

I am also experiencing this behavior (reguritating, whimpering, beak rubbing) with my CAG, except that she will raise her wings...

 

At first I thought something was wrong with her

 

But from what I have read she is only showing signs of affection and possible mating behaviors.

 

What are the disadvantages to this behavior?

[Dave007]

Dan

 

If you do decide to pet him/her you'll excite the bird even more( like a pre orgasm) and you won't be able to provide it. The bird will be left frustrated. There's a chance that being hung up like that will cause the bird to start plucking afterward and also as you continue to rub the bird and it gets more aroused and will hold on tighter and when you feel that it's time to go back to the cage, there's a chance that the bird will bite. Very young people have gone through that. You remember, right? Got very pissed off, right? Really didn't really have good feelings about her anymore, right? Was always thinking " what did I do, I don't deserve that!!" Then the middle finger was displayed, Right??

 

SO, quietly put the bird down, don't get upset or angry, walk away and go have a drink or a cig or whatever else you have available for a couple of minutes and then go back to the bird and do what you want to. By that time, the excitement and desire do do that again will have passed. Nature is what caused that to happen in the first place.<br><br>Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/11/28 01:17

[judygram]

Dave you certainly do have a way of explaining things, so there you have it Dan, you don't want to encourage such behavior even though I am so old I can't remember what it was like to be so young.:laugh:

[danmcq]

Ah Ha!!

 

Thanks Dave, for that good and explicit explanation. Now i'm gonna go have a cup of coffee and cig to chill out ;-)

 

Honesty though, thank you, I had no clue if the posturing meant the grey was getting ready to go psycho on you or what... :ohmy:

 

Thanks for the rest of the story!!<br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2007/11/28 14:40

[lovemyGreys]

:laugh: Thanks Dave, i do walk away from my female when she acts in this way Pleased i got that right