Table of Contents
- Understanding Parrot Screaming
- Loudness by Species
- Causes for Excessive Bird Screaming
- How to Stop Bird Screaming
- FAQs
Is bird screaming driving you up the wall? You get on a phone call and the screaming starts. Your partner comes into the room, and your bird goes batty. Or, every time you walk out of the room, it’s like a siren going off. Sound familiar?
You're not alone! Many parrot owners deal with these noisy outbursts from their screaming birds. But don't worry—we're here to help you bring calm to the chaos.
In this guide, you'll learn the basics of bird behavior and positive reinforcement techniques. Discover what triggers bird screaming and how to address it effectively.
Take our interactive quiz to uncover the root causes of bird screaming and explore our FAQ section for answers to common questions. Ready to bring some peace and quiet back into your home? Let's get started!
Understanding Parrot Screaming
Natural Communication In The Wild
Parrots are social animals that use their voices to stay connected with their flock and especially, their mate. These loud calls help them keep track of each other, even when they're far apart. By calling out, parrots maintain their close relationships and coordinate where to go. When your parrot calls to you, it's simply following its instinctual need to stay in touch.
In the wild, these calls are crucial for their safety and well-being. They use them to warn each other of danger, find food, and let their flock know where they are. Unless taught otherwise, your parrot will naturally call to you for the same reasons. Understanding this can help us better care for our pet parrots and meet their needs.
Behavioral Needs and Environmental Enrichment
Bringing an exotic pet like a parrot into our homes means taking on the responsibility to meet their needs. These birds bond deeply with their human companions, and it's important to offer them plenty of enrichment and targeted training. By doing so, we can ensure they lead fulfilling and stimulating lives, just like they would in the wild.
To keep your parrot socially and mentally engaged, there are three key things you can offer frequently.
First, provide a variety of toys that challenge their problem-solving skills and keep them entertained. Rotate these toys regularly to keep their environment interesting.
Second, incorporate foraging activities by hiding treats around their cage or in specially designed foraging toys, encouraging natural behaviors like searching and exploring.
Third, ensure they have ample space to move and exercise, whether through a large cage, supervised out-of-cage time, or even training sessions that include flying exercises. These activities help mimic the stimulation they would get in the wild, keeping your parrot happy and healthy.
The Loudest to Quietest Birds as Pets
| Bird Species | Genus | Flock Calling Frequency | Decibels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cockatoos | N/A | High | Up to 135 (Jet engine) |
Extremely loud, affectionate nature, loud calls to seek attention or when bored. |
| Aratinga Conures (Sun, Nanday) | Aratinga | High | Up to 120 | Bright plumage, powerful voice, loudest conures, frequent flock calling. |
| Eupsittula Conures (Orange-front, Brown-throat) | Eupsittula | Moderate | Up to 115 | Variable loudness, some species like brown-throats are louder. |
| Psittacara Conures (Cherry-head) | Psittacara | High | Up to 110 (Chain saw) |
Known for high flock calling frequency, based on Telegraph Hill population studies. |
| Thectocercus acuticaudatus (Blue-crowned) | Thectocercus | Moderate | Up to 105 | Moderate call volume, commonly known as blue-crowned conures. |
| Macaws | N/A | High | Up to 105 | Large birds, loud morning and evening calls, capable of mimicry. |
| Cyanoliseus patagonus (Patagonian) | Cyanoliseus | Moderate | Up to 100 | Moderate volume, videos suggest moderate flock calling frequency. |
| African Gray Parrots | N/A | High | Up to 70 | Constant chatter, excellent mimics, frequent vocalizations throughout the day. |
| Pyrhurra Conures (Green-cheek) | Pyrhurra | Variable | Up to 70 | Generally quiet conures, low call volume, may vary by individual. |
| Budgerigars (Budgies) | N/A | Low to Moderate | Up to 70 | Popular and relatively quiet, chirps and chatters, quieter in pairs or solo. |
| Cockatiels | N/A | Moderate | Up to 70 | Larger than finches and budgies, chirps and whistles at a low volume, mimics sounds. |
| Finch | N/A | Low | Up to 60 | Tiny birds with tiny voices, pleasant chirps, and peeps, generally hands-off. |
| Canary | N/A | Low | Up to 65 | Known for their melodious songs, males sing but volume is kept to a minimum. |
| Parrotlet | N/A | Low | Up to 65 | Soft chatter and chirps, require daily interaction, full of energy and spunk. |
| Senegal Parrot | N/A | Low | Up to 70 | Calm and quiet demeanor, less likely to screech, enjoys socialization and toys. |
| Bourke's Parakeet | N/A | Low to Moderate | Up to 65 | Quiet and gentle demeanor, most active and chatty early morning and dusk. |
| Dove | N/A | Low | Up to 65 (Calling out to someone in another room) |
Sweet and gentle, known for constant cooing vocalizations. |
Even the quietest birds will vocalize louder than expected, so it's important to understand and accept this part of their nature. Knowing what to expect can help you create a harmonious environment for both you and your feathered friend.
All birds have an instinct to be noisy and call out to their flock. This natural behavior helps them communicate, stay connected, and ensure their safety in the wild. When choosing a pet bird, consider your tolerance for noise and how it fits with your lifestyle.
Excessive bird screaming is when a bird's vocalizations become frequent, loud, and disruptive beyond what is normal for its species. It's important to understand that some level of noise is natural and healthy for birds, as they use vocalizations to communicate, express themselves, and stay connected with their flock.
However, excessive screaming is different; it often indicates that the bird is stressed, bored, or seeking attention. It is not just the occasional loud call or chatter that all birds do. Recognizing the difference helps in addressing the underlying issues causing the excessive noise.
Causes for Excessive Bird Screaming
Excessive bird screaming is usually not due to a health condition. In fact, sick parrots tend to be quieter because they don’t want to draw attention to themselves.
Often, this loud behavior has been accidentally encouraged by their owners. It’s important to approach this with empathy and understand how our actions may have unintentionally taught them to scream. The good news is that this behavior can be retrained, which we'll discuss in a section below.
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Accidental Training: Birds often scream because they’ve learned it gets a reaction from their owners, whether it's attention, food, or play.
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Hormones: During breeding season, hormonal changes can increase vocalizations as birds try to attract a mate or assert dominance.
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Communication: Birds are social creatures and may scream to establish their place in the flock, including their human family.
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Boredom: Without enough mental and physical stimulation, birds can become bored and frustrated, leading to excessive screaming.
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Lack of Intentional Training: Without intentional training and guidance, birds may not know other, more desirable behaviors to get their needs met.
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A Loud Family: Birds often mimic their environment. If they live in a noisy household, they may join in with their own loud calls. That's flock behavior!
- Fear / Change: Birds thrive on routine. An unpredictable schedule can make them anxious and more likely to scream for attention and reassurance.
Bird Screaming Quis
How to Stop Bird Screaming
The first and most effective strategy is to remove the triggers. In the quiz in the last section, we helped you understand what might be triggering your bird. Did any of the suggestions feel like a fit?
Identifying Triggers and Root Causes of Screaming
Triggers like hormones, certain types of boredom, and household noise levels require environmental adjustments. This means providing more enrichment, increasing out-of-cage time, and ensuring all family members are involved in bird care.
Triggers like boredom from refusal to play with toys or a fear response involve using positive reinforcement to train your pet. Often, breeders don't take the time to teach a bird the social skills that its parents would have taught them. Birds may need to be taught new skills such as foraging, playing, and entertaining themselves. Positive reinforcement can help your bird learn these new behaviors, making them happier and quieter.
Teaching Your Bird Replacement Behaviors
How to Stop Bird Screaming
The first and most effective strategy is to remove the triggers. In the quiz in the last section, we helped you understand what might be triggering your bird. Did any of the suggestions feel like a fit?
Triggers like hormones, certain types of boredom, and household noise levels require environmental adjustments. This means providing more enrichment, increasing out-of-cage time, and ensuring all family members are involved in bird care.
Triggers like boredom from refusal to play with toys or a fear response involve using positive reinforcement to train your pet. Often, breeders don't take the time to teach a bird the social skills that its parents would have taught them. Birds may need to be taught new skills such as foraging, playing, and entertaining themselves. Positive reinforcement can help your bird learn these new behaviors, making them happier and quieter.
Understanding Positive and Negative Reinforcement in Bird Training
Positive reinforcement involves rewarding your bird for a desired behavior, making it more likely that the behavior will be repeated. For example, if your bird is quiet and you give it a treat, your bird will associate being quiet with getting a treat and will be more likely to be quiet in the future.
Negative reinforcement involves removing something unpleasant to encourage a desired behavior. For instance, if your bird is screaming because it dislikes the loud TV and you turn the TV off when it stops screaming, you are removing the unpleasant stimulus to reinforce the quiet behavior.
Behavioral A->B->C's
The A-B-C model of behavior is a way to understand why birds (or people) do certain things.
"A" stands for Antecedent, which means what happens right before the behavior. It's like the trigger that causes the bird to act in a certain way. For example, if you leave the room, that's the antecedent that might make your bird start screaming.
"B" stands for Behavior, which is what the bird does in response to the antecedent. In our example, the behavior is the bird screaming. This is the action that we see and want to understand better. By paying attention to the behavior, we can start to see patterns and understand what the bird is trying to communicate.
"C" stands for Consequence, which is what happens right after the behavior. The consequence can either encourage the behavior to happen again or discourage it. For example, if you come back into the room when your bird screams, the bird learns that screaming brings you back.
By understanding the A-B-C model, you can change the antecedents (triggers) and consequences (reinforcers) to help your bird develop better behaviors.
Function of the Behavior
The "function of the behavior" refers to the reason why your bird is behaving in a certain way. Essentially, it's what your bird is trying to achieve with its actions.
By understanding the underlying function, whether it's to gain attention, escape something unpleasant, get access to a desired item, or simply for sensory pleasure, you can address the root cause of the behavior more effectively.
Recognizing the function helps you find more appropriate and acceptable ways for your bird to fulfill its needs.
Here’s a table to explain the four functions of behavior:
| Function of Behavior | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Attention | The bird wants attention from you or others. | Screaming until you come over and talk to it. |
| Escape Something Undesired | The bird wants to get away from an unpleasant situation or avoid doing something it dislikes. | Screaming when it’s put back in the cage to get let out again. |
| Access to Tangibles | The bird wants access to a specific item or food. | Screaming to get a favorite toy or treat. |
| Sensory Stimulation | The bird engages in the behavior because it feels good or is stimulating. | Screaming because it enjoys the sound or feeling of its own voice. |
Observing and Replacing Behaviors
Start observing how your reactions to your bird's screaming might fulfill one or more of these functions. Understanding what your bird is trying to achieve with its behavior will help you address the root cause.
Take time to figure out other more desirable behaviors that you can teach and reinforce, which fulfill the same function. Here are some examples:
- Attention: If your bird screams for attention, teach it to make a quieter sound or perform a trick for attention. Reward the quieter sound or trick with lots of praise and treats.
- Escape Something Undesired: If your bird screams to avoid being in the cage, make the cage a more pleasant place with toys and treats. Gradually increase the time in the cage, rewarding calm behavior.
- Access to Tangibles: If your bird screams for a toy or treat, teach it to ask for it in a quieter way, like ringing a bell. Reward the bird with the desired item when it uses the new behavior.
By identifying the function of your bird's behavior and using positive reinforcement to teach and encourage more desirable behaviors, you can reduce excessive screaming and create a happier, more harmonious environment for both you and your bird.
FAQ: Understanding Bird Screaming
Birds scream for various reasons, such as seeking attention, expressing boredom, or indicating discomfort or illness. Understanding the specific trigger is crucial to addressing the behavior effectively.
Ignoring the screaming and only giving attention when the bird is quiet can help. Providing regular interaction and enrichment can also reduce attention-seeking screams.
While occasional screams are normal, persistent and excessive screaming can indicate health issues. It’s important to observe for other signs of illness and consult a veterinarian if needed.
Yes, ensuring a quiet and calm environment, along with a consistent routine, can help reduce stress-related screaming. Placing the cage in a suitable location away from high traffic and loud noises is beneficial.
Providing a variety of toys, foraging opportunities, and interactive play can keep your bird mentally stimulated and reduce boredom-related screaming.
Birds are social creatures and can scream out of loneliness. Ensuring regular social interaction or considering a companion bird, if suitable, can help alleviate loneliness.
A balanced diet is essential. Nutritional deficiencies or an imbalanced diet can lead to behavioral issues, including excessive screaming. Consulting with a vet for dietary advice can be helpful.
Screaming is a big problem for bird owners. It's tough to fix, but positive reinforcement works and is backed by science.
Though challenging, my book can help. It's a workbook with simple steps and examples to guide you.
You can do this! Get my book and start your journey to a quieter, happier bird today.
Screaming is a big problem for bird owners, but there's a solution! Positive reinforcement works and is backed by science.
Learning positive reinforcement takes some support, and my book provides just that. It's a workbook with simple steps and examples to guide you.
Get my book and start your journey to a quieter, happier bird today.
In conclusion...
You’ve discovered the secrets behind parrot vocalizations and learned which species are the loudest. You've delved into the health and behavioral causes of excessive noise, taken a quiz to pinpoint specific triggers, and unraveled how accidental training impacts your bird. Armed with strategies to stop the screaming, identify and remove triggers, and teach your bird new, quieter behaviors, you're all set for a peaceful and happy home.
Related Posts
Parrot Behavior Training: Your Top 9 Questions Answered
6 Tips on How to Keep Your Bird in Good Behavior
5 Ways To Tame a Fearful Bird for a Happier Pet
References
Gavagai. (2017, March 23). Noise levels by and within genus [Thread]. ParrotForums. https://www.parrotforums.com/threads/noise-levels-by-and-within-genus.67872/
Jack. (2023, August 21). Echoes of Distress: Tips for Dealing with a Screaming Bird. Ask About Birds. Retrieved from https://askaboutbirds.com/tips-for-dealing-with-a-screaming-bird/
Kaytee. (n.d.). Quiet pet birds: Loudest to quietest. Kaytee. Retrieved from https://www.kaytee.com/learn-care/pet-birds/quiet-pet-birds
Kalhagen, A. (2024, July 18). 8 top quiet pet bird species. The Spruce Pets. https://www.thesprucepets.com/quiet-pet-bird-species-390545
Lester, J. (2023, July 17). 10 Reasons Why Your Cockatiel is Screaming All the Time. Warmly Pet. Retrieved from https://www.warmlypet.com/reasons-why-your-cockatiel-is-screaming/
Van Voorhies, C. (n.d.). HELP! MY BIRD IS SCREAMING AND SHE WON’T SHUT-UP. Florida Veterinary Behavior Service. Retrieved from https://flvetbehavior.com/help-my-bird-is-screaming-and-she-wont-shut-up/
Link to this blog
Burroughs, D. (2024, July 26). Your ultimate guide to stop bird screaming. BirdSupplies.com. https://birdsupplies.com/blogs/news/your-ultimate-guide-to-stop-bird-screaming
Diane Burroughs, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in avian anxiety disorders, nervous bird behaviors, and overall bird care. With training in ABA therapy and certification in Nutrition For Mental Health, Diane has authored several books on bird behavior and offers expert consultations for resolving issues like feather plucking and bird anxiety..
She founded UnRuffledRx Science-backed Parrot Wellness Supplies, a trusted brand of products recommended by top avian veterinarians across the United States and available internationally. These include bird collars designed for feather plucking. Diane also provides behavior consultations to address nervous bird behavior and other challenges.
She founded UnRuffledRx Science-backed Parrot Wellness Supplies, a trusted brand of products recommended by top avian veterinarians across the United States and available internationally. These include bird collars designed for feather plucking. Diane also provides behavior consultations to address nervous bird behavior and other challenges.
Her work has been featured in the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery and presented at Exoticscon. Diane also mediates the Feather Plucking Help group on Facebook, offering support to parrot owners. With over 30 years of experience, Diane has developed thousands of successful individualized behavior plans, promoting parrot wellness and excellent bird care.
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