3 1/2 month old conure head bobbing, wing flicking, and squawking

[Mandy93]

I recently got a baby sun conure, we are still hand feeding her and offering her pellets and millet and other foods as well. She just started a couple new behaviors- one being head bobbing and fluffing her head feathers up, the other is when I’m holding her and she is cuddling me- She now constantly flicks her wings and squawks at me. Not sure if this has some type of meaning behind it. If she’s uncomfortable, wants attention, or is possibly hungry? I’m not sure- she does it even right after we feed her. it’s anytime I’m holding her any ideas what this could be? Is it something that I should be concerned with? She is my first conure, so I am not too familiar with the behavior and haven’t been able to find much about it online.

 

[Zara]

I will tag some knowledgable folks,
@BrianB @Matto @Mockinbirdiva

 

[Rebel]

Someone else will probably get into details but i can tell you from my personal experiences, these are normal behaviors. I have 2 conures and they both display these behaviors.
Mine will bob their heads if they see i have something they want (millet for example).Sometimes theyll actually hop up and down on the perch.
They will flick their wings and squawk for attention. The puffy head is aggression.

 

[BrianB]

The puffy head may mean that she's frightened. It's a new environment away from what she's known for her short life. That should fade as she becomes familiar with you and her new home. The other stuff is baby behavior that they do grow out of. The baby that makes the most noise and gets the most attention from the parents gets the most food.

 

[Rebel]

. The other stuff is baby behavior that they do grow out of.

My conures are over 2 years old . I dont think they will be growing out of it. I hope not anyway. Its their way of communicating to me.

 

[Zara]

The puffy head is aggression.

The puffy head may mean that she's frightened.

My conures are over 2 years old . I dont think they will be growing out of it.

Sometimes the same thing we are seeing, for example the puffed up head feathers, can be very different things depending on whether the bird is a chick, young juvenile or grown adult.
It is important not to confuse the two.
Also, this bird in question in OPs post is only three months old, "aggression" for seemingly no reason is very unlikely (unless the have already been abused), and if it really is "aggression", it would almost always stem from fear.
Brian has experience with a variety of species of chicks and juveniles, and breeding experience.

The baby that makes the most noise and gets the most attention from the parents gets the most food.

This is so true. The meek unfortunately get overlooked and can be left to go hungry.

 

[Emma&pico]

Remi does the wing flick when he wants out he will bend down on his food bowl low as he can get and flick his wings beak through bars making mine and his click or shouts hello

pip bobs his head up and down to come out I’ve got him to do it as a dance now and so if I say dance he does head bob dance

both remi and pip puffed there heads up a lot in early days of being babies it’s a lot less now as they have settle in so I agree with @BrianB and not all the time it was aggressive they puff their heads if I spoke to them puff their heads if they want scratches and lend forward with their heads

head puff for aggressive in mine is with a straight body feathers they make themselves taller and head neck feathers are up and they stunt tail feathers fanned and make a very distinctive noise
Once you get to know them their body language is easier to read

 

[Matto]

It means they want attention. It could be they need food, or to cuddle, or to play, or to go to a different spot.