Silence Your Screaming Parrot with this Quick Tip

Last Updated on February 16, 2023 by Mitch Rezman

We just wanted to say hi, I’m David Jones and this is my 10-month-old “Blue Headed Pionus” whom we believe to be a male at this time. His name is “The Shriek of Araby”, but the vote is still out…!! He is sweet and naughty at the same time. Any tips on what to do when they shriek?

Thanks, David

Hi David,

Yes, birds will shriek because birds will be birds. One of the things you can try something is called a “redirection”, have a big pot and a wooden cooking spoon in a place that you get to easily that is out of sight of the bird.

Keep in mind you have to let the bird shriek for 10 or 20 minutes a day to let it out of its system but if it’s incessant what you can do is when they begin to shriek, go into the other room and bang the pot – Bam – Bam – Bam.

Silly young man with pot on his head

We recommend removing the pot from your head prior to doing this although it might feel better than listening to 3 hours of a shrieking parrot.

The bird will be silenced out of pure curiosity but just for a moment. In that moment you want to come into the room that the bird is in with a high-value treat — sunflower, raisin whatever they like best — and offer it to the bird, speaking a high-pitched voice with lots of positive praise for being silent.

Let us know how it works for you

By the way, it’s important not to assume it’s common knowledge that knowing yelling “shut up” at a noisy bird is counterproductive. Visiting friends, family members and in-house sitters easily fall for the trap. Parrots are social animals. Noise is good – everybody is squawking at each other. Thus when you yell “shut up” or “be quiet” at an animal that has not assimilated Merriam-Webster, well let me translate for you in bird speak “Thank you for talking loudly with me, I really miss talking loudly with my flock mates but you’ll do for now – squawk – squawk – squawk – squawk!”

An added comment: Parrots are all drama kings/queens and shouting is one of the dramatic reactions can they force out of us frustrated humans that they simply love. Don’t give them the drama they crave or you really, as Mitch says above, just reinforce the screaming.

MitchR

Q. My parrots love eating any kind of fruit or juice, nuts or seeds, but aren’t interested in any other kind of food I think is good for them. How can I change this?

The problem is it’s not a balanced diet if they’re not getting enough protein. I would advocate introducing a product like LeFeber’s Avi- cakes. They are mistaken as a treat but offer 100% nutrition to your bird because they contain a high percentage of pellets. The pellets are wrapped with seeds and nuts and fruit held together with molasses.

Our cockatiel Popcorn doesn’t have that picky eater problem

all meat was cut away so the bird gets no human saliva

In addition to the Higgins seed blend that our cockatiel Popcorn feeds on regularly, she goes through a package of Avicakes about every two weeks. Because of molting and reproductive activity as well as the stress of changing daylight we use a saltshaker to sprinkle a mixture of avian vitamins and a calcium supplement on top of the Avicakes. The light dusting sticks to them because of the molasses thus providing her with all of the nutrition she needs as confirmed by our avian vet who sees her about every three months.

More info here: Help Me! My Parrot Wont™t Eat Anything Except Seeds or Pellets

The two images in this blog post Does the plethora of parrot perches produce puzzlement? Learn perches & placement now! speaks volumes about our birds ability to adapt

Thank you for being a Windy City Parrot customer

MitchR

Hi, MitchR – well, wow, thanks so much sending this! Right on time. I’ll be reading it several times, and try and work out some good strategies for their cage, their room in general, AND the stand! I’ve had them for 20-25 years, they’re 25 and 30, and we probably have some ruts to break out of. And I just had a new center dowel of the exact same size replaced in their cage, LOL.

One has a [‘snapped ACL’ for birds], but he can grip well with it. He also has a bum wing from being wild caught as a baby (he’s adopted, saw it in an X-ray). So he’s not the most confident with new things – but he’s a green monkey just the same.

I’m excited to try and change up their world a bit… but a single new rope toy last week sent us flying into walls and screaming, so we’re gonna take it niiice and sloooow. 🙂 cheers! Lisa

Sent from my iPad

got it – thinking out of the box –

So install a flat ladder across some branches to offer more horizontal support?

Feel free to reach out we’ve worked with several one winged and one footed birds. oh and try to play with your bird’s toys before offering them to your birds. They always want what you have.

Best of Luck

Written by Mitch Rezman
Approved by Catherine Tobsing