Today my parrot was in good mood. He was dancing, chirping and bobbing his head in front of me. I came closer to see him having fun and give him some seeds. My pet parrot started flapping his feathers and came closer to me. He started leaning his beak towards me. I was surmised because he was trying to kiss me…
Parrots are known for their intelligence, entertaining acts, and unique ability to mimic. They are lovable and affectionate creatures who spread the love with their cheerful acts. They are capable of showing love to their owners or their other mates. One of their finest way of showing love is – Kissing!
Yes, parrots kiss by their beaks. Their kisses are generally like they will use their beak and pull it against your face, or your lips, or face. Sometimes they lick you by their tongues during kissing. If you have kissed in front of your parrot then they will try imitating the kiss sound and will make a similar sound while kissing you. Parrots do not only kiss humans but they show this affection to other birds also. They learn beak to beak touching by their mother during food feeding time.
When two parrots get together, they have this unique way of interacting. And if they know each other, they bump their beaks together. Sometimes it gets difficult to determine whether they are fighting or kissing. New pet parents often get confused and they see it as pecking or squabbing. Well as long as there is no sign of aggression then it’s nothing to worry about. Parrots kiss not only to show their love to each other. It’s not always romantic sometimes it’s platonic also. For example, Parakeets of any sex kiss to show their fondness to each other. Parrots mostly groom themselves. They cannot reach some areas of their body such as feathers around their face. So, they groom each other and it seems like they are kissing each other. You must have observed them preening from time to time. They clean the dirt and clearing the debris away from the other’s face and maintain the look of the facial feathers.
Can humans kiss parrots?
Yes, why not? You can show your love to your parrot by a peck on the top of their beak or head. Make sure you don’t touch your parrots’ tongue because it can cause some infection. A slight and gentle kiss on the beak and head does not cause any health issues until unless your parrot is sick. In very rare cases parrots carry a zoonotic disease like parrot flu (psittacosis), histoplasmosis, or cryptococcosis. If this is the case then you should consult a vet and for the time being avoid kissing or touching your parrot. This goes vice versa also. If you are sick or suffering from any disease then you should avoid kissing your parrot. Well, getting sick from a parrot kiss is the least of your concern as long as it’s a dry kiss.
Do you know your saliva can kill your bird?
Yes, you heard it right. Human saliva contains more than 100 different kinds of bacteria that can be dangerous to your parrot. One of them is gram-negative bacteria that is not present in parrots hence parrot’s immune system cannot fight against these bacteria. So even if the smallest amount of this bacterium goes inside your parrots it can be a danger to his life. They can even die…
Besides this kissing your pet parrot after applying lipstick or gloss is not advisable. This allows the risk of saliva getting ingested by your parrot. You should not share your food like cereals with your parrot because he can ingest your saliva. Many researchers found reason to not mix human and bird saliva. The reason is that the bird is much cleaner than humans. The most hazardous organism in our mouth is the Pasteurella multocida, which once enters into parrots’ mouths can be very contagious. It will only take an hour for your bird to die if it enters into the parrot’s bloodstream. Due to this reason, you should not allow your parrot to get in contact with the mammal’s saliva.
As you know parrots learn by seeing their owner and try to enact the same. So, if you have kissed in front of your parrot then don’t be surprised if he sticks out his tongue while kissing. For your parrot’s safety, you should discourage this behavior. For this, you just need to keep your mouth closed while giving your parrot a beak kiss. He will understand that sticking his tongue out while kissing is not needed.
How do parrots kiss?
Now you must be wondering how do parrots kiss when they don’t have any tips? If you see them from a distance you won’t be able to recognize that whether they are kissing or fighting. Often during courtship, parrots touch their beaks like they are kissing but they’re not. Sometimes they have their beaks slightly open for sharing food, this is called courtship feeding. During the reproduction season when the female parrot is preparing for reproduction, males will feed seeds to them beak to beak. This does not mean they are showing affection but provide nutrition to them. Similar action is done when birds feed their young ones who are unable to feed themselves. Parrots are the birds who kiss the most to show their love and affection.
How do birds attract each other?
There are many different ways of bird courtship. Other than kissing birds use different methods to attract their mate. Parrots are fun birds and they use a wide variety of methods and skills to court their mate.
Singing : Well, there is no doubt that a song can woo anyone. A beautiful song is a common way of attracting a mate. It can also ward others from a birds’ territory. A good, strong singing voice in the bird world indicates maturity or other highly valued characteristics in a mate. A song can show good health, strong immunity, and a successful partner.
Visuals : Most of the parrot breeds have beautiful, colourful feathers. They have spectacular colourful plumage: red and blue, yellow, and green, etc. Although parrots are monomorphic that is both the sex of parrots resemble each other physically. Not just the colour but the intensity of colourful feathers can attract the prospective mate. Researchers have found that the intensity of colour in the abdominal area is more attractive and increases the success rate of breeding.
Dancing : Attracting other mates is not only about visual attraction for parrots because mating is not based on looks only. Some parrots impress their loved ones by dancing or other showmanship acts. You can play the song and they will start flapping their wings, bobbing their heads, extending their legs. Male parrots often show their dance moves to female parrots to impress them.
Building : Yes, building a nest is also considered an act of courtship. Male birds build the nest and decorate it to get more attention from the female. A male will bring the food while the female watches over the nest.
Why do Parakeets kiss?
Now you must have understood that parrots do not kiss only to show affection. In the case of Parakeets, they share a kiss to show love and affection but it is also a sign of them wanting food. Also, there is a difference between feeding and biting. When parrots are upset, they bite the beak of their companion. They show hostile and aggressive behavior when they are upset or angry at each other, so keep an eye on them. A parakeet shows their affection for humans by either chirping or pecking your hairs. They develop a social and strong bonding with their owners. They will cuddle you to show their trust. Sometimes they enjoy climbing your neck or try to groom you this means that they enjoy your company.
Parakeets do not kiss just anyone. They show their affection to those whom they trust. For example, members of their species or the fellow parakeets they live with. They develop a meaningful way of communicating. To show respect, support, love, and trust parakeets kiss and bob their heads together.
Parrots have this common problem of biting their owners. Well, sometimes they bite when they are annoyed. But they also use their beak to kiss their owner and we feel they are biting us. So, you need to understand the difference between a parrot’s happy mood and a sad mood. It’s upon you to figure out whether your feathery friend is trying to kiss you or bite you. Few things can make parrots bite their owner. A common reason is a fear in them. They won’t hurt you without any reason but if they feel fear or distrust towards you then the situation is different. Parrots are very pampered birds. They like getting attention and play around with people. But they are also very fearful. If in any way they are harmed or ill-treated they become sad and aggressive. In the case of baby parrots, they have very small teeth and don’t understand the difference between loving and biting. If you have a baby parrot and they bite you then don’t punish him because it’s not his fault. Baby parrots may ‘’teethe’’ by lightly chewing on your fingers. Baby parrots also bite to show their love, affection, acceptance to their pet parent.
Does your parrot try to kiss you? Voila! He loves you…
Related Questions
How do parrots flirt? Yes, parrots do flirt and show off to attract their mate. They fling their wings, doing mating dances with head-bobbing, hoping, bouncing. They make heart wings and try to attract their mates.
Do birds get jealous? Birds get jealous of other birds. They can get jealous of other family members or outsiders also. Some birds get too much attached to their owners and if they see their owner close to someone else, they get jealous.
