Affection or am I just a human napkin?

[MyAussieFriends]

My boyfriends lovebird Kiwi who I am taking care of is a super cuddly and affectionate bird. He loves his cuddles and his scritches, and wants to spend all of his time with people.

A behavior that I have noticed that none of my other birds have ever exhibited is the rubbing of his beak on me. It almost always happens when we are in the middle of a cuddle session. It almost feels like a cat rubbing it's head on you.

I'm curious, am I just being used by Kiwi to clean his beak? Or is it a sign that he loves me?

 

[JLcribber]

Yup. You're a human napkin.

Beak rubbing is a sign of ownership/claiming something.

 

[MyAussieFriends]

Yup. You're a human napkin.

Beak rubbing is a sign of ownership/claiming something.

Now should I be offended or is it a compliment?

 

[JLcribber]

Now should I be offended or is it a compliment?

I would take it as a compliment. You're probably very lovely to rub.

 

[Crazy4parrots]

Baylee does that too! She rubs her beak on my fingers.

 

[Heather F]

Frodo rubs his beak on us and other things in the house with such enthusiasm that we sometimes joke that he is part caique.

 

[Sadieladie1994]

Conures love rubbing their beaks especially if it is soft material. They will go running with their beak on the smooth surface (silk or satin is fun). Those beaks have a lot of sensation

 

[pinkdagger]

Sounds like he's claiming you! I wouldn't completely dismiss the human napkin theory though. It's very likely both.

 

[MyAussieFriends]

Is that claiming behaviour something I should encourage? I've never heard of it
My boyfriend is starting to get jealous of our relationship

 

[paul]

Three's a crowd, he's trying too tag in.

 

[JLcribber]

Is that claiming behaviour something I should encourage? I've never heard of it
My boyfriend is starting to get jealous of our relationship

You don't have any control over that. They either do it or they don't.

 

[Monica]

I'm not sure that they are "claiming" anything so much as that they sometimes enjoy rubbing their beaks against things!

 

[Ankou]

Likely napkin, possibly asking for a scritch (though usually that would be cheek or head rubbing.)

Maybe it's because I live alone and she doesn't feel the need to claim me, but this actually isn't a behavior I've seen from Peanut towards me (just her stuff.) She only rubs her beak on me when she is literally using me as a napkin and wiping food or water onto me. I love her so.

They are lucky they're so dang cute. Little brats.

 

[Crazy4parrots]

Kiwi rubs her beak on Baylee And Baylee rubs her beak on me lol