Height dominance behavior real or fake?

[ReNap]

I’ve always heard that if a bird is often higher than you it will view itself as the boss of the house and is more likely to act aggressive, thus high perches and tall tree stands being a bad idea. I am building a playtree (since store bought ones are so insane expensive! Hundreds) and want to know if I can make it taller than me and it not have repercussions.

I’ve also heard recently this is a myth and untrue. What has been your experience on this? Can I make high perches in my home and the birds behavior be unaffected?

 

[hrafn]

Total myth. Parrots don't display dominance or "alpha" behaviour. You're a-ok.

 

[RawPasta]

If my conure is on top of his cage, he will lunge and bite if asked to step up. I stand on a stool, he steps right up no problem. My macaw was the same way, worse even. So not totally sure on fact vs fiction, but that's been my experience.


ETA for my conure it's only on his cage top that he does it and responds well to me being higher. With my macaw, it was anywhere that he was above me. Again, as soon as I was taller, he stepped up no problem.

Edit again.... my cockatoo, lovebird, and pionus do not display this behavior.

 

[Mizzely]

Birds like to be high up. So if you try to remove them from high up, they might be snotty about it. That's not height dominance.

 

[camelotshadow]

I hope not as I am under 5 foot & the playtops are above my head...

 

[M_Riddly]

I think if it is a play stand which is supposedly neutral ground it should be fine. I will say having them up high will be harder to get at for cleaning and stuff.

 

[Mizzely]

Some late night reading

https://www.parrots.org/pdfs/all_ab...tal_enrichment/The Struggle for Dominance.pdf
http://naturalencounters.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Height_Dominance-Steve_Martin.pdf

Can a bird behave differently when up high? Absolutely. But to categorize it as dominance or aggression is untrue If anything, the fact that we want them to move from a high position and won't take no for an answer could be seen by THEM as a domination behavior if you think about it. So do WE get more dominant when they get up high?

 

[Begone]

They are like you and me. They have their own will too. So if they are located high where you can't reach them, and you want them to step up and they don't want it, if they are brave they tell you in some way that they don't want that. That is not because they are aggressive, they just don't want it. Respect that and you will not have a problem.

I make high places for them just because they need places to feel safe (when you guest arrives for an example) and also places where they not should feel helpless because they are much smaller then us. (also consider that we are predators for them) And to step up should always be voluntary.
I encourage when my birds says no to things. I would never ever force them to do anything they don't want. (of course that is not including emergency's)

 

[ReNap]

Okay I had heard different opinions but what you guys are saying makes sense. I shall be making some taller perches then! Thanks a lot for the info all!

 

[Lodah]

Pilo loves flying to the door ledges or top of cupboards for a lookysee! In no way is he aggressive about being up there! You don't see a flock of birds in a tree fighting for the highest possie! Its a myth as far as I am aware!