Height Dominance in Birds?

[Bokkapooh]

I would say it came from misguided beliefs on how wolves act.....

I know

I was being silly. And joking too. My post was just saying that cockatoos dont have height issues. But being on the floor can cause issues for many cockatoos. Not a dominance behavior but play on the floor can cause problems.

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WOLVES. You cannot extrapolate dominance behavior from wolves (a predatory mammal) to parrots (an avian prey animal). Early animal behaviorists were misguided and stupid to try to apply the dominance heirarchy of a predator to birds. Parrots want to be high off the ground to AVOID predators or to AVOID pesky bird owners or parronts who want them to do things the birds do not want to do. Birds feel safer when they are high up and that is one reason why they may strike out and bite; because they know they are out of reach and the thing reaching up for them can't get hold of them!

One other point of height is that it gives the parrot the advantage in use of gravity. If one is standing up on a ridge above another attacking person, one has the advantage of gravity making your projectile weapons heavier and easier to throw onto the enemy. The parrot does not use weapons, but they have the advantage that gravity assists their "dive bomb" raid if they desire to use that maneuver to discourage the predator or parront in getting them to do what the parrot does not want.

Think about what birds get out of being higher above the ground than you are, and you will discover why they like to be high off the floor.

 

[Monica]

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WOLVES. You cannot extrapolate dominance behavior from wolves (a predatory mammal) to parrots (an avian prey animal).

EXACTLY!


But even in wolves, dominance doesn't exist! At least, not in the manner that so many people believe!

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

Wolf dominance does exist; but not how must people think of it: it is family precidence behavior, not just pack behavior.

 

[pajarita]

I would say it came from misguided beliefs on how wolves act.....



The alpha male/female thing came from viewing unrelated wolves stuck together in an unnatural setting.... a wolf pack is a *family*. It's not about an alpha dog that is the strongest is thus the leader, but rather the *parents* of the pack are the leaders. Occasionally groups of families may pack together, or a lone wolf may join a family, but it's just that, a family. The younger members respect the older ones.

There's quite a bit out there about debunking the "alpha" myth!

De-Bunking the "Alpha Dog" Theory - Whole Dog Journal Article
Pack Theory Debunked | Victoria Stilwell Positively
Dog Training: Animal Experts Debunk the Alpha-Dog Myth - TIME

So I'd say yes, that belief that parrots are "dominant" creatures came from misbehaving dogs and they just slapped it onto parrots, too! Thankfully, positive reinforcement training (often under the guise of clicker training) is more about learning how to communicate with our pets through a positive manner while also enriching their lives!

Yes, Monica, the alpha theory of wolves has been debunked but pet dogs do live in a hierarchical society (it's even stated on the article you post the link to) - it might not be based on alpha dominance but there is a social order, and anybody who has had a 'pack' of dogs knows this is so (and, I am sorry but I don't agree with Stilwell -your second link-, in my personal experience, unrelated dogs can become a 'pack' with one of them becoming the parental figure).

 

[scoobdoo63]

I know this is late. The pet store lady told me letting them go on your shoulders is letting them be boss. I don't think my bird has a mean little bone in his body. I let him on my shoulder when I'm in the kitchen getting water, putting stuff away, but if I'm in my chair I want him on my chest so I can see the poo and clean it w baby wipes and its not on my furniture.