What different behaviors mean

[my-africangrey-echo]

• Beak Grinding

The beak grinding occurs when your grey scrapes the upper mandible against the lower mandible.

This usually means your grey is happy, comfortable and secure. Greys often grind their beaks when they are settling in for the night and almost nodding off to sleep!

• Beak Wiping

There are three different reasons your grey could be wiping his/her beak ..

• If you grey wipes his/her beak in the presence of a flock member including yourself he/she is usuallly trying to tell you that you are intruding in his/her space
• If he/she is alone then he/she is usually trying to clean or remove something that is stuck on his/her beak
• If he/she is alone it could also be displaced aggression. Either he/she can't do something they are trying to do or possibly observing other flock members interact and is jealous

• Head Shaking

Greys tend to shake their heads and no one seems to know why! However if your grey is doing it often it wouldn't hurt to have him checked because it could be a sign of nasal or ear infection.

• Sexual Behaviour

If your grey is performing a series of up-and-down head bobs whilst 'smacking his lips', then he's regurgitating food. Sometimes this is just a display of affection, as a bonded pair of greys will feed each other. If you are the 'significant other' to your grey, then you will be the recipient of this offering

• Stretching

Greys will stretch for the same reasons that we do ... loosen things up, release tension and it just feels good afterwards. Greys also stretch to show that they are comfortable with your presence and as a form of greeting.
A grey's stretch will be with one wing and one leg on the same side stretched out at the same time. Many would say that a grey must be happy and comfortable if he is stretching in your presence ...

• Yawning

Why does my bird yawn?

• Yawning for the same reasons we do -- tired or just waking up (take in more oxygen)
• reajusting their crop
• down caught in their throat ... (very common after a preening session)
• itchy throat or ears