Behavior Common To A Parrot In The Wild
One of the things that many people don't think about when they purchase a parrot from a pet store or a parrot breeder is that, even though the parrot might have been born and bred in captivity, it is still by societies standards still a wild animal, and therefore prone to be unpredictable and at times can be difficult to handle. If your pet parrot feels threatened or becomes aggressive if will act the same way a parrot in the wild would behave. Before an animal is officially domesticated several generations have to have been bred and raised in captivity.
History of Domestic Parrots
Although there are stories of people keeping parrots as pets as long as 4,000 years, the pet was considered a luxury, something that only the very rich could afford to do. Up until a hundred years ago anyone who didn't live in an area that was also a home to wild parrots, didn't even know what a parrot looked like, and the idea of a talking bird was absurd. All of that changed in the 1960's. During this time period there was such a high demand for parrots that the importation of parrots became common. It was during this period of time that many of the ancestors of the parrots living in the United States were freed, sometimes intently and sometimes on accident.
What people who raise parrots quickly discovered is that the birds had unusually long life spans. Some breeds of parrots, such as the wild African grey parrot has a life span of 60-90 years.
Behavior of A Parrot In The Wild
A parrot that is being raised in captivity it isn't uncommon for them to develop traits and characteristics commonly seen in a parrot in the wild. When a parrot in the wild notices something that could threaten it or the life of its chicks, the a parrot in the wild will ruffle all of its feathers to make it appear larger, sometimes it will lower it's head and stalk in a menacing manner, your pet parrot will behave the same way if it feels like it is being threatened, or if it is mad at you for some reason.
Screaming is common to a parrot in the wild. Screaming is a form of communication that parrots in the wild use to warn other birds of their presence, alert their flock of danger, and to warn away predators. If your pet parrot is screaming it is possible it is trying to warn you of something in its immediate environment that is bothering it.
Chewing and clawing is something a parrot in the wild does to help it keep its beak and claws sharp for when it has to defend itself from predators. When a caged parrot claws and chews it is often a sign that is bored or discontent in some way. Providing your parrot with some toys and another bird for company will help improve its frame of mind.
