Help With Macaw Body Language

[M_Riddly]

First I want to say, no I'm not getting a macaw. I don't have one either. I have a cockatoo and am very happy with him. Lol. I just need some macaw help. Here is my situation. I have 0 understanding of macaw body language other than biting means upset. I can't differentiate happy eye pinning from angry eye pinning and stuff like that. I am going to be volunteering at a parrot shelter soon and would like help with some of this before getting thrown to the wolves so to speak. Lol. I have spent two weeks with a macaw before and was thoroughly traumatized, per say, by it. I understand cockatoo body language perfectly. I have a pretty good grasp on amazon body language and lots of other parrot's as well but for some reason macaws illude me. It's ironic because everyone I have ever talked to or heard from says the same things about cockatoos as I do about macaws. I'm not scared of macaws but I really would like some help.

 

[Skipper]

With ours, head down and fluffed feathers are a bad sign. Head up and bouncing back and forth making happy sounds is good. That being said, NEVER put it past a macaw to change it's mind in a flash. Our Mac can look happy as can be and suddenly lung at you when you get in range. They are highly emotional creatures, approach with caution.

Scott

 

[Rain Bow]

I'm not a help here @ all. I do want to just say I think volunteering is cool! I will say a big
for all the birdys that cannot!

I also think asking here is a very good idea.
Good luck!

Rain

 

[Mizzely]

It's hard to teach without being there. Each bird has it's own movements. In my experience though, macaws are pretty apparent with their body language. For my Hahns and Jardines, I have seen that eye pinning is excitement if they are fluffed up. Fluffed up with eye pin is very much not good LOL. For any bird that is pinning I just move slowly. If I get within bite range and they haven't turned their head, that usually means I'm good

 

[Rain Bow]

I understand what your saying Shawna, but my guy (Zon) puff's head, eyes pinning, even flares out a bit & makes noise in what my vet referred to as a "Amazon Trance". I personally think he's the most compliant in this mode. Isn't it variable from species to species in different/certain degrees?

Rain

 

[Mizzely]

It absolutely varies by species. I've just shared my experience with mini macaw and Jardine's (unrelated to macaws of course) which has translated well to the bigger macaws I've interacted with.

Amazon body language to me is totally alien lol

 

[Shezbug]

With my boy head down and feathers fluffed is a very submissive and cuddly baby bird who wants scritches, sometimes when his eyes are pinning he can be a little rougher as he is usually very happy and excited when he is pinning. My baby puts his feathers tight to his body and makes an awful noise if he is not wanting to interact but no pinning (yet), I am not sure if babies are different with body language though. I get lots of easy to read warning when he is not wanting interactions through the tight feathers and he will also move a little bit in the opposite direction from me and if I continue to approach he will grump to let me know he does not want to be touched......this never lasts long before he decides he wants to play or hang out with me.

 

[Skipper]

One sign I forgot, is when our Military Mac wants something, he goes head down, feather smooth, and slowly flaps his folded wings up and down. It is his form of begging.