It may not seem like it but animals of the animal kingdom flirt in their own way, birds included. Birds flirt to attract and secure mates, and this behavior can be seen in your cockatiels as well
This article explores the different cockatiel flirting behaviors.
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Cockatiel flirting behavior:
Cockatiels are not only friendly, but they are also flirty and will flirt with other birds that they want as mates, they will also flirt with objects, your hand, or your foot if they see them as mates.
Here is how these birds flirt:
Touching beaks and nibbling at each other:
This is one way that cockatiels will flirt with each other. While they don’t kiss each other the same way that humans do, these birds do kiss by touching each other’s beaks or nibbling each other.
This is done once the female approves of the male.
The birds can show their affection towards each other with a simple touch or lean.
Mimicking calls:
Cockatiels will flirt with each other by mimicking each other’s call. One criterion that a female cockatiel has when looking for a male partner is a partner who is able to imitate her vocalizations.
The male will mimic her vocalizations and this is seen as flirting behavior to the female and is a major way that he can win her affection.
Funny enough, this is why these birds are able to mimic sounds around them and the sounds that humans make. They practiced mimicking sounds by mimicking the calls of other birds.
Preening and grooming:
When a bird preens and grooms another bird this usually means that the bird likes the other bird, this can also be seen as a form of flirting in cockatiels.
This is the male’s way of showing the female that he wants to, and can, take care of her if she chooses him.
This preening behavior also bonds the mating pair during courtship.
Regurgitating food:
This is another cockatiel behavior that communicates flirting.
When a male cockatiel regurgitates food into the mouth of a female cockatiel this signals, to the female, that the male wants to nourish her and show her that he can nourish her.
Regurgitating is his way of showing her that he is a reliable provider. The regurgitation is the first step in showing her that he can care for her now and throughout her nesting.
He is also nourishing her so that she can lay healthy eggs once the two have mated.
Displaying of feathers:
A male cockatiel who is trying to woo a female cockatiel will also try to show her how good his genes are by displaying his feathers.
The cockatiel male will hold his wings slightly away from this body, this looks like a heart from the back. He will walk around strutting his stuff in this way in hopes of the female seeing this and approving of him.
Singing and dancing:
Singing to the female is another one of the ways that a cockatiel male will attract the female’s attention. The singing shows his level of maturity and intelligence.
The males may also dance, along with the singing, to the female, this is another way of attracting the attention of the female.
Calling each other:
The male will do anything he can to get the female’s attention, this includes calling her, banging his head against the cage, bobbing his head, and hopping around in an effort to get her attention.
Vent raised:
If the female is ready to mate, and she has chosen a mate who she likes, she will lower herself and raise her vent into the air to signal that she is ready to mate with her chosen mate.
She will also call him to make sure he sees her and comes to mate with her.
Unfortunately, if the female is not bonded to the male, and doesn’t see him as a mate, then none of his advances will do anything for her.
In this case, you may have to get a mate who is actually compatible with, is of age, and wants to mate with the male bird.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Why Are My Parakeet’s Feathers Turning Brown?, Can You Bathe A Baby Cockatiel?, Baby Cockatiel Not Digesting, Baby Cockatiel Not Pooping, Cockatiel Diarrhea Egg-Laying, My New Cockatiel Is Scared Of Me, Can 2 Male Cockatiels Be In The Same Cage?,
