Decode your budgies behavior: Are they fighting, kissing, or playing? Uncover insights to understand and enhance your pet budgies' interactions
Budgies make great starter birds for parents new to avian pets. They are friendly and generally get along with other parakeets and small to medium-sized parrots.
Even so, squabble is a part of life for budgies.
In a group, parakeets remain mostly social, but when kept in pairs, territorial tendencies often show, and your birds will occasionally fight.
Having said that, it’s not always a fight anytime your budgies rock beaks or appear somewhat aggressive. Same as dogs, their games will sometimes seem warlike and err on the side of fierce.
Budgies (and most of the other birds kept as pets) will also touch beaks to show affection (yeah, birds kissing and regurgitation is a weird affair), which might seem a little stand-offish for new owners.
So, how can you tell the difference?
Well, angry budgies (birds) engaging in a fight will not only knock beaks, but their wings will also be raised together with loud screaming and squawking and brief chases around the cage or one bird knocking the other from a perch.
Feet biting is also an act of aggression done by birds to forcibly remove another bird from a spot or perch.
Budgies that are only playing need not be hostile to each other. They may rock beaks briefly but not in an aggressive way, and when it’s not playtime, they will sit together, touch and groom each other, and even feed each other (looks like they are kissing)
How Do You Know if Your Budgies are Fighting
As we’ve seen, fighting budgies are often aggressive and loud, with the intentions of their action being to inflict pain and remove the others from their spot (perch) as opposed to having fun.
The movements will also be more animated, with wings coming as part of their arsenal, usually used the same way a boxer uses his fist😁😂.
Fights are also characterized by angry noises such as squeaking and screaming (more so in parrots), which are pretty different from the sounds, a playing pair would make.
In my experience, calm budgies enjoying their playtime and each other’s company only make low, jolly sounds, such as chirps, whistles, purrs, and clicks.
Now, assuming you are never present when the fights take place, it’s still easy to tell because your birdies will most likely have wounds and scratches on their bodies.
See, birds’ beaks and claws (especially hookbills like budgies and other parrots) are pretty lethal, and a well-placed bite or scratch will most likely leave evident tell-tale cues.
A couple of missing feathers, a broken toenail, blood, and flesh wounds are just some of the signs to expect after a fight.
Perhaps one last thing I’d suggest you look out for is one bird chasing the other around or the timid candidate visibly terrified or being around the oddball.
This is often common when you have a bully in your flock.
Why Are Your Budgies Fighting
Almost all animals, humans included, fight for the same reasons, top of which is resources and space.
So, if you budgies are constantly at war, chances are there is limited space, food (and water), or toys (and enrichments) even if they are willing to share.
Most parrot species also fight for attention from their owners (they are pretty needy birds), meaning if you are their prime carer, you might be the cause for the constant scuffle.
In which case, I suggest you make time for both your birds separately, then gradually train them to be around you without fighting (I’m sure there are a few hacks in the interwebs for that).
Perhaps the other thing you’ll need to know is budgies, and any parrots that have not been raised together from when they were chicks should be put up in separate cages.
Well, ideally, even birdies raised together should have separate sleep cages since every once in a while, they need some alone time, more so at night.
This will ensure that even if one of your birds is not feeling too well, he can find a spot to rest without having to deal with the rest of your feathery pets.
Separate cages will also keep down territorial aggression.
I can also not emphasize enough how crucial sufficient feeding stations, water points, toys, enrichments, and perches are to parrots, budgies included.
Should You Separate Your Budgies if They are Fighting
Yes, you probably should separate your budgies if they are constantly at war.
However, in this case, separation means each of your budgies has his (her) own cage, perches, toys, and feeding points.
But when they are outside the cage, you do not need to separate them. Only make sure you keep an eye on them and slowly encourage and train them to live together.
Meanwhile, you also get a chance to identify the troublemaker and positively train him (her) to accommodate the other birds.
Sometimes these fights are over trivial matters such as jealousy and neediness, and all you need to do is spare equal times and attention for all your budgies.
Why Does it Look Like My Budgies are Kissing
Well, most parrots and even species like hummingbirds peck or kiss as a show of endearment, respect, and acceptance, more so during courtship around the breeding season.
However, birds do not kiss for the same reason human beings do. Theirs is mostly the boy feeding the girl to nourish and get her ready for breeding.
Usually, the female will only allow the male she is interested in to feed her, an action more appropriately named regurgitation.
That said, please note that it’s not always that your budgies will rock lips with the intention to breed and bring forth chicks, sometimes it plainly to show affection.
As such, do not be surprised if your budgie pair is of the same sex but still choose to feed or kiss or regurgitate (however you call it) each other.
Parakeets are docile birds that kiss to show acceptance, respect, and affection; All About Parrots.
Do not be surprised that your budgie might even try to kiss you (in the mouth). It only means it adores you and considers you his companion or more like a best friend.
Is it Normal for Budgies to Peck Each Other
I guess it’s pretty typical for budgies to peck every once in a while.
Most owners I’ve talked to have seen their birdies kiss at least once every few days.
Even so, the kissing (or regurgitation as you may have it) seems to happen more often in a coupled pair close to breeding.
As such, you are advised to separate your budgies if you notice excessive pecking and have no intention of breeding them.
As I had mentioned, courtship begins with the males trying to feed the female who may accept or reject his advances.
If the girl wants to be loved, she will readily accept the food, and soon enough, get ready to start a family with your rather convincing stud (he must be one hell of a colorful boy😀😀🙈).
In case your girl is not broody or interested, she will avoid him and keep beaking him away. She won’t even let him groom her.
That’s all for this post. See you in the next one.
Happy budgie-ing🦜🦜.