Wing flipping does not necessarily mean somethings wrong. Birds do that for other reasons too. But with Ekkies you have to be more cautious.
TOE TAPPING AND WING FLIPPING, by Carolyn Swicegood.
For those eclectus owners who never have seen this syndrome, toe tapping, or more accurately, foot clenching, is the rhythmic, involuntary opening and closing of one or both feet. As the toenails hit the perch, a tapping sound can be heard; hence the name. Wing flipping or flicking is an involuntary and repetitive movement of the wings. The wings droop and then are tightened against the body, making a slight popping sound. All parrots flick their wings occasionally. They sometimes do it quickly several times to rearrange the wing feathers. Sometimes it indicates their pleasure, as when their favorite person talks softly to them. Many healthy birds flip their wings several times as they are preparing to sleep. This is a perfectly normal behavior and not a symptom of a problem.
These two troublesome symptoms, which often occur simultaneously and seem to affect mostly eclectus parrots, have not been thoroughly researched at this time. There are causes other than excess vitamins and minerals. Some of the suspected causes of toe tapping and wing flipping are calcium deficiency, metal toxicity, pesticide overload, chemicals, and food allergies.
CALCIUM DEFICIENCY
Some cases of toe tapping and wing flipping clear up quickly after calcium supplementation. If low calcium levels are discovered by a blood test, and a calcium supplement is administered, the symptoms can clear up within an hour. Low calcium has proved to be a problem for a number of the birds exhibiting these symptom. Dr. Dave McCluggage, a holistic vet of Colorado, says that most avian testing is not very accurate. He recommends the addition of calcium if a blood test indicates not only low, but also low normal calcium levels. Amazingly, toe tapping often clears up within an hour of the administration of supplemental calcium. NeoCalglucon, available from pharmacists without a prescription for about $25, is the calcium of choice. There are calcium/magnesium supplements from health food stores that also are effective. Calcium supplementation should never be done on a long term basis without first establishing a deficiency by blood work done by a vet. Calcium deficiencies do not occur in healthy birds if they are given the proper diet. Eclectus parrots effectively assimilate the necessary nutrients, including calcium, from whole foods. Surprisingly to some, collard greens contain more calcium than the same amount of milk. Dairy is not the only good source of calcium. Leafy green foods such as kale, mustard, turnip and dandelion greens, broccoli, as well as almonds (a big favorite with eclectus), Brazil nuts and white navy beans contain good amounts of calcium in its natural form.
Other cases have turned up no shortage of calcium and no metal toxicity. Some birds exhibit the symptoms for weeks or months, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This is stressful for the owner as well as the bird. Some of the remedies that have helped to alleviate the symptoms are calcium supplements, exercise, the elimination of all vitamin and mineral supplements including pellets, and treatment with a detoxifying formula of Aloe and herbs. The best course of action when a bird has these symptoms is an immediate vet check with comprehensive blood work including tests for metal toxicity. Although many vets are not yet familiar with the syndrome, it is important to rule out some of the serious conditions that often accompany toe tapping and wing flipping.
Isabelle Sislak, owner of a much-loved female eclectus named Kanani, said, "I have had the toe tapping and wing flipping problem with Kanani from time to time and it seems to be related to her consumption of food containing preservatives or possibly pesticides. I cannot figure out which yet. She does not toe tap or wing flip if I feed only organic foods and do not feed enriched pasta or breads which also cause the problem. I check labels very closely and usually give her all organic foods rather than worry about it. I buy bread, pasta, grains, seeds, and of course fruit and veggies from Whole Foods Organic. This avoids the preservatives and pesticides and prevents the problem. I also limit pellets as Kanani has had problems when eating too many."
One theory as to why toe tapping and wing flipping are seen most often in eclectus parrots is that this species is extremely efficient at extracting the nutrients they need from fresh whole foods. When given a rich diet, such as a high percentage of pellets which are meant to offer complete nutrition, a vitamin and mineral supplement added to their diet can cause nutrient overload. Fortunately it generally ends in one to three days without apparent permanent damage, once the "causative agent" is determined and corrected.
