Birds and Phones?

Both of my ears, right now, have bites on them. For some reason when ever my bird sees a phone and he is on my shoulder he just tkaes a chunk out of my ear. (not litterally but it is pretty hard) He usually brakes the skin. I don't get it. Is he trying to protect me? Has this ever happened to anyone else? Do you know why he is doing this?

Birds and Phones?
My Military Macaw, Rio HATES when I get on the phone. If he is on me when I answer it, he'll yell, at the top of his lungs "HELLLO" so that I can't hear. He'll try to get the phone out of my hands, and if he manages to do so, he'll throw it as far as he can.





If he's not on me when I answer the phone, this is when he chooses to alarm cry at the top of his lungs which is loud enough to rattle the windows.





My take on this is pure, unadulterated jelousy. He isn't getting my attention when I'm on the phone. My biggest pet peeve in the world is when someone else talks to me while I'm on the phone. I hate it. So, naturally, he has picked up on this and because he's my everything assumes that means that I'll put down the phone for him.





What I do to curb this behavior, is if the phone rings, I have a little bowl full of kool-aid flavored balsa wood sticks right next to the phone. Before I even pick that sucker up (the phone) I hand one of those to him to chew on while I'm on the phone. It's been my only recourse to get him to quit while I'm trying to talk. Otherwise, whomever I'm talking to ends up with splitting eardrums because of the screaming.





This probably isn't the best way in the world to handle it, however it is a good form of distraction. I can't plan when the phone is going to ring. It's an impossibility. As long as I can provide him with something to do that isn't destructive while I'm doing it, I think that this is perfectly acceptable.
Reply:he could just associate it with an annoying loud noise. Turn the volume down on your phone a bit if you can
Reply:Retrain your bird. Have a tweet year.
Reply:try using speaker phone away from your face.. or buy a blue tooth and hide it under your hair sothe birt won't see it.. idk...
Reply:I say it is a noise thing.


My bird goes nuts when it is my father on the other end and I am within 50 feet of the bird.


He is fine with anyone else calling


since your bird does "it all the time" is it all the time even if you just put the phone up to your ear and no dial tone or anything ? or is it no matter where the phone is and it is just in the room ?
Reply:What kind of bird is it? I have a cockatiel that does the same thing (bites the hell out of my inner ear at his leisure).





My theory has nothing to do with a phone. I think they see the little hairs in your ear and try to bite/preen them.
Reply:ican really relate to what you are talking about. i have an african grey parrot that does the same thing. i ask my vetabout that. she said.whe nyou are in the middle of giving your bird attention and the phone rings,your birdhears you talking to someone else,it feels as though you are giving someone else the attention it should be getting. they get jealous over this,and thats one of the ways they take out their anger on you
Reply:no but that sucks
Reply:OUCH!!!


He sees the phone as a rival for your attention! Whenever a bird is allowed to sit on the shoulder it gives them dominance over us!


They sit there and they see themselves as our equal.


That's why pirates wear an eye patch! That bird plucked his eye out!


Sitting on the shoulder isn't a bad thing, if you understand 'The Rules'. This is prime real estate to a bird and they can be pretty defensive over it. Phones, other people and even your own hand! I've lost several pair of eye glasses due to my ******** yanking them off and tossing them! I had to stop allowing them to perch on my shoulder.


I have a citron ******** and she tends to favor men but will let me love on her if he's not around. I made the mistake of trying to kiss her when he was in the room, and she grabbed my LIP with all the nastiness that she had and I swear... blood squirted and she still held on!! I still have a nice little scar to remind me of her 'demands'! But I still love on her anyway ONLY when he's not around! She's a sweet baby and her jealousy just made her do something she didn't really mean to after she had time to process it, she says ''hey pretty girl'' only to me. I win.
Reply:That's why birds should not be on shoulders, he knows your talking to some one else and he gets jealous.
Reply:I agree that is why ,because he wants the attention, when you are talking on the phone you're not paying attention to him. That is one of the reasons they say not to let them on your shoulder.
Reply:one of my birds hates the phone but, he doesnt me, he bites the phone. i beleive it's a jealousy thing for my bird. i would put the bird down before i answered the phone. you need to show him that his behavior will not be put up with. you need to separate yourself from the bird while your on the phone.