Understanding Bird Body Language

Head Games

• A bird bobbing its head up and down is their way of getting your attention. It can mean they’re hungry, especially when it’s around feeding time. A bobbing head can also indicate they’re excited or upset about something. This is one of those situations where other clues will help. 
• Birds like cockatoos and cockatiels have long, thin feathers on top of their heads called a crest. If the crest is sticking up, they may want to play or something has upset them. In addition to reading their bird body language, you may also have to read the room.
• A crest that is laid back and down suggests your bird is agitated or frightened.

Beak Performance

• If your bird sounds like a purring cat, they’re grinding their beak which is a sign of happiness.
• Tongue clicking is another sound that suggests your bird is happy.
• Pet birds like parrots will sing, talk and whistle when they’re in a happy state of mind. 
• Some birds, especially cockatiels, will bang their beak against their perch or some other part of their enclosure. This is nothing to worry about. It’s just some sort of courtship behavior birds do. 

Eyes Don’t Lie 

• One of the signs of a sick bird is when one or both of their eyes are closed even though they’re not sleeping.  
• When birds dilate and shrink their pupils, they’re doing something called “pinning.” This suggests they’re either scared, excited or angry. Use other body clues to help you figure out which one. 

Body of Evidence

• When a bird stomps or taps their feet, they’re either marking their territory or it could be a sign of some sort of nutritional deficiency. 
• Crouching is typically an escape position for birds and suggests they’re frightened by something. It can also be a sign they want to play. You’ll need to read other body clues to confirm if it’s one or the other.  
• A bird that is leaning forward is a bird ready for some playtime and enrichment toys from Pet Supplies Plus.
• Shivering or trembling is the sign of a very anxious bird.
• Scared birds will have their feathers pressed close to their bodies.
• Something is frightening your bird if you see it huddling in the corner of their enclosure. 
• Some birds, especially parrots, will hang upside down when they’re happy. 
• When a bird moves their body from side to side, they’re either engaged in some sort of courtship behavior or are scared and looking for an escape. Again, read the room. 

Winging It

• If your bird is flapping its wings but not flying, they’re either trying to grab your attention, show excitement or are mad at you. Wing flapping is also how birds stretch or cool themselves. What it means will depend on other clues and/or the context of the situation.  
• There’s a good chance your pet bird is sick or sleep-deprived if their wings are drooping.

The Tail End

• Being happy is pretty much why birds wag their tails. 
• Tail fanning in birds is a good sign you have a pretty angry bird.
• A bird whose tail is constantly bobbing up and down is the sign of a sick bird.

Conclusion

There are lots of things that could be going on in your pet bird’s head. While bird body language can help us “read” their minds, their gestures can also be interpreted many ways. Some hints are straightforward (e.g., tongue clicking = happy), while others could require more clues (e.g., pinning eyes = happy, anxious or mad). If it’s the latter, you may have to put two and two together to get an answer—but we’re not worried. We think you’re really smart, just like a bird.