hey i just was wondering if any other conure owners know why their conures head bob? magoo likes to sit on his boing or really anywhere and will bob his head up and down, forward and back, side to side either really slow or really fast. sometimes he bobs his head fast into his toys and stuff and makes his beak tap the cage bars and such. does he want something from me? he seems to get excited when he does it and stares right at me and sometimes will eventually start his conure strut to show how big and bad he is.
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Conure Head Bobbing
- Thread starter birdle
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Anne & Gang
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Yep head bobbing is normal as long as it isn't lots of head bobbing with regurgitation or like a shake. In those instances you could be looking at a yeast infection, ear infection or neurological issues. Giggie and Zia do mini head shakes that Dr. O thought may be associated with mama hen behavior but initially worried it was neurological with Giggie.
yea no regurgitations or shaking he does it for attention i am pretty sure i always look when he starts banging things with his beak so i look at him
Thatdude596
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My 6 month old sun does it. I think he does it when excited, happy, or wants something. My two yr old never does it but flutters his wings rapidly when he wants picked up! 
Note that greenies as well as most conures have either a flash of color on their head or a solid colored head. It my opinion, it is a way of getting another bird's attention and when he is bobbing his head to you, he wants your attention. Observing Boca and Pichu has really made me understand how important this head bobbing is in their communication. I have started answering their head bobbing with bobbing my fist in response and they get very excited and come to me right after I 'answer' their invitation head bob.
I know very little about conures as my greenies are the first ones I have ever had. But I also have seen cock cockatiels use head bobbing as an attention getting behavior. I started using the fist bobb to answer my tiels and they would bobb back at me and then fly to me. I see the same thing with the greenies. I always wondered why the cock tiels had bright red and yellow patches on their faces and when you see them head bobbing for attention, it becomes very obvious.
I have begun to believe that head bobbing with my greenies is a social greeting and an invitation to interact with them. I haven't read much about wild greenies, but I look forward to reading about their wild behaviors.
I know very little about conures as my greenies are the first ones I have ever had. But I also have seen cock cockatiels use head bobbing as an attention getting behavior. I started using the fist bobb to answer my tiels and they would bobb back at me and then fly to me. I see the same thing with the greenies. I always wondered why the cock tiels had bright red and yellow patches on their faces and when you see them head bobbing for attention, it becomes very obvious.
I have begun to believe that head bobbing with my greenies is a social greeting and an invitation to interact with them. I haven't read much about wild greenies, but I look forward to reading about their wild behaviors.
very interesting lois thanks for the info, i also believe that the head bobbing means he wants attention and most of the time he does it when he is overexcited and as soon as i notice him bob his head he will start screaming and swaying back and forth. that i know is aggressive but he sways so much because every time he does it i reinforce it by giving him attention as it's funny.
Graeme
Strolling the yard
Well I am BRAND new to Conures We just got our little guy yesterday. While I had him out today he was bobbing his head, I guessed it was playing and nothing more.
We just got our little guy yesterday. While I had him out today he was bobbing his head, I guessed it was playing and nothing more.
Thatdude596
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Sorry but that's not a aggressive at all! The head bobbing get the attention. The swaying and letting out a scream or two is normal is excitement. Aggressiveness is puffing up, eyes pin, and a bite or lunge
lol, yes it is agressive when they do the conure sway and strut. they are telling you to GO AWAY. you can't see magoos eyes pin, in fact i have never seen any conures eyes pin, they are so dark. he puffs his little cheeks up and his back so it looks like hackles. now with me if i come over while magoo is swaying he will stop and instantly want pets. with anyone else is a different story.
Thatdude596
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Hmm well that goes to show how same species act totally different. Mine sway n bob and let out a chirp when excited. I haven't seem really any aggressiveness in either of our conures. The older has only bitten once and that's due to him being afraid when the new guy came. He flew to my wife and the older one got scared and bit my wife's finger when she was picking hi up quickly. Didn't bleed
Gussie has a variety of bobs, struts, and sways. I call the sway "The Stevie Wonder" and the strut "The Mick Jagger". She also beak taps on my iPad screen. I always respond in kind. I see nothing aggressive in her moves. When she's feeling aggressive there is NO DOUBTabout the mood! She lets her beak do the talking 
haha your conure sounds like mine, however if he gets going in his sway and you get close and youre not me he will lash out at you trying to bite and if he grabs you omg 
he grinds and holds on very hard especially if you are a male he doesn't know. but everyone thinks his sway is cute so they learn the hard way
thatdude596 i also don't think my conure has ever made me bleed. but my old cockatiel had quite the bite and once bit straight thru my thumb nail.
he grinds and holds on very hard especially if you are a male he doesn't know. but everyone thinks his sway is cute so they learn the hard way thatdude596 i also don't think my conure has ever made me bleed. but my old cockatiel had quite the bite and once bit straight thru my thumb nail.
kkuris
Walking the driveway
Rigby will bob his head vigorously when he wants something from me. In the morning when he wants to leave his sleeping cage he nearly goes airborne bobbing his head 
PburghsMom
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Hi all. I have had my GCC for almost 6wks. “Pittsburgh” is 6mos. He/she bobs with excitement and joy. We are still getting use to each other and I allow the time and space. Today however I was singing and talking to Pittsburgh and it was just different. Head bobbing and excitement and he/she loved the music. Call me over excited but this day definitely felt different then any of our “trust” sessions. When aggression appears Pittsburgh turns his/her back to me and has this funny lil growl and then of course biting.
