Hi everyone. I'm a fairly new bird owner... I got my Gracie (cockateil) in August of 2007 from a pet store... but she was hand fed so she's always been pretty tame. Lately she has been sitting on her perch at the very top of her cage (her cage opens at the top and a perch goes across) and sticking her tail feathers way up in the air with her head down... and she makes the tiniest little birdie chirps. I honestly thought I was hearing a mouse in the house ~ that's how quiet her little chirps are when she does this. When she does this you have a clear shot of her little 'butthole' (for lack of a better word). I'm wondering if she's hitting puberty and this is some kind of mating call? Has anyone else's cockateil done this?
My female Polly used to do this too. And after word she layd an egg. It was never fertile but my guess would be yes, she probly is doing some kind of mating call.
We have a 24 year old cockatiel. She has been with us since I was a kid! She is quite the old lady!
Anyway, I was reading your post and I thought I might comment.
Is your bird rubbing herself against her perch while making these noises? Is she is, she is masturbating. It's normal, nothing to worry about. My bird does this, too. Although, I wish she wouldn't do this when people come over!
