Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Avian regurgitation - an act of love?

If your parrot, all of a sudden, starts making strange noices and stretches or "pumps" its neck; don't be alarmed! It is probably on its way to regurgitate (throw up) on you. "Eeeew, that is disgusting!" you might think but in the avian world regurgitation is seen as a "true act of love."

"Regurgitation, perhaps one of the most perplexing bird behaviors, occurs when a bird throws up small amounts of food with the intention of feeding it to a loved one. Gross? Perhaps, to those who don't understand avian behavior. Normal? Absolutely" (http://www.birds.about.com/).

If your avian friend regurgitates on you then you should feel very honored because that means that you have built a bond of trust and that your bird really loves you! Often the bird regurgitates one or more seeds or "pellets", depending on the diet, into your hand while the bird arches its wings and "beaks" your finger (or ear or whatever part of you is nearest) gently. Here is a video of Sarabi "showing her love":






It is important to note the difference between regurgitation as a sign of affection and actual vomiting from some type of illness. If your bird starts to "flick its head" so that the regurgitated food is flung away all over the place it may indicate that your bird is actually sick. If you notice this type of behavior it is best to consult a veterinarian immediately!