鸚鵡和
〝身體語言〞
 因人類和鸚鵡不是一開始便說著相同的語言﹐我們有必要學習藉著觀察〝身體語言〞去了解彼此意圖。
人類很大程度依賴文字和語言溝通﹐鳥類卻天生慣以姿勢去解釋和溝通。故此，寵物鸚鵡往往比人類更懂得從身體語言去了解和認識對方。
鸚鵡對人類的認知
從見過的證據推斷，我認為一隻鳥會知道人類擁有一隻慣用的手
- 一隻我們經常使用而且感到熟練的手 - 早在人類注意到那鳥兒有隻慣用的腳之前。舉例來說，若一隻鳥在嘗試站到人的手的時候覺得那手不安全甚至經驗過失敗，許多時候，牠會選擇只站到那隻慣用的手上。我不清楚為什麼會這樣，可能牠知道除非牠正在在那一隻手上，不然的話人便會用那隻手撫摸牠（也許牠不想被撫弄）又或者牠知道一個慣用右手的人左手會比較不穩定﹐所以情願站到右手上，因為當牠被提起時那手不會晃動。
在過去二十五年內我觀察過的報告中，約有百分之八十的情形為鳥類偏愛站在一隻手多於另一隻，面對左手時鳥兒常會感到猶豫但卻會很有信心地踏上右手。這類情形中，十個有八個以上報告鳥行為的人的右手就是當然的手。我們可藉著改變一直沿用的步驟，使鳥兒更有信心地作出遞昇反應，例如
- 讓鳥兒重覆地從低的棲木或椅背站到右手，收起左手，直到牠自動反應
- 以手提式棲木代替雙手
- 用一條毛巾把雙手遮蓋
- 教鳥向後和向下踏而不是向前和向上，或
- 嘗試把牠剛踏過又走開的手降低而並非把牠正站著的手提高使牠覺得現在站著的手較剛離開的一隻穩妥
人們從鸚鵡姿勢的了解
鸚鵡用聲音同時也會藉態度和姿勢表達他們的情緒。通常，一隻鸚鵡的羽毛變得非常平滑和站得直直的表示牠正處於驚惕或受驚的狀態。羽毛看上鬆鬆的大多是一隻快樂的鸚鵡。
一隻羽毛鼓起並以單腳站著的鳥可能生病又或者可能僅僅正在一個涼爽的房間中睡覺。一隻把所有的羽毛儘量的往外伸﹐尾部搖曳，肩或翅膀從身體向外張開的鳥也許打算展開追求或準備好對抗。
快樂行為。
一隻活得好和快樂的鸚鵡會發出訊息讓在牠周圍的都知道。一隻健康的鳥有時會像做太極般伸展。 牠或會慢慢地伸開在身體同一邊的一隻翼和一條腿，然後收回，接著再伸展身體另一邊的一隻翼和腿。牠會把翅膀向上或向外伸，又或者像舉行一個儀式的，像舞蹈般的把翼收回背部。一隻正在快樂地迎接朋友、人或鳥的鸚鵡，會短暫地鬆開全身的羽毛並搖擺尾部。鳥兒搖擺尾部有時候等同於一個人在〝吃吃地笑〞。鸚鵡把尾部快速地來回地搖擺，或者因為當牠把尾上的水抖掉後仍感到有某些東西留在身上，但這行為又可表示剛發生的一件事令牠很快樂，但已成過去，現在是時候出發去尋找另一個奇遇。
當一隻鳥要和陌生人相處時，某程度上，人和鳥兒第一次接觸時所用的方法或會過急。（包括對一隻新買的或未被前主人訓練過的鳥太早進行遞昇的訓練）是此，把鳥放回棲木和計算尾部搖擺的次數能作為一個很好的參考，從中得知所用的方法是否太過急進。如果鳥在回到棲木上之後幾乎立刻就搖擺它的尾部，這次的溝通也算可以，但是如果鳥在被放下之後好幾分鐘仍沒有搖擺尾部，更甚者尾部從沒有搖擺過或是沒有做出任何上述的快樂行為，顯然這次的接觸對牠構成很大壓力﹐日後宜以比較被動的方式和牠相處。
某些快樂的鳥，尤其葵花種屬的鸚鵡，當他們看見他們喜歡的某人或某事的時候，會擺動舌頭或把喙部上下移動。一隻快樂和滿足的葵花種屬的鸚鵡可能通過搧在喙部附近臉羽而且降低頭這動作來表示牠希望被撫愛。快樂的，健康的亞馬遜或金剛鸚鵡可能藉由把頭部倒轉，暴露下顎這動作發出邀請，讓人寵愛。
不論是何種快樂行為：懇求寵愛，喙部格格作響，舌頭的擺動，伸展，尾部搖擺，或羽毛鬆起等等；如果每天對牠們多加留意，我們便能確定對鳥兒的訓練和教育的方向是積極和正面的。
一隻鳥將要咬的徵兆。
一隻鳥咬人之前﹐牠會給將要被咬的對象一些提示。 首先﹐牠會看著將要咬的人，然後張開鳥嘴和將兩腳分開站在棲木上（就一隻比較大型的鳥而言）或會衝襲牠將要咬的目標（體形較小的鳥會如此）。當人和鳥相處時看到牠發出上述警示時，人是有責任去避免被咬的。只要不將手或身體任何部份置於可被鳥兒咬到的範圍便是了，或可把鳥放下，又或者將別的東西，像木製的玩具，放置在鳥的喙部和它想要咬的人之間。
受刺激的跡象。眼睛的虹膜（眼睛裏有顏色的部份）變大，瞳孔（眼睛的黑色中心）快速地收縮這動作叫〝pinpointing〞描準或〝flashing〞閃動。這是一個動機的表達，表示牠有想講話、想追求或是想咬的動機。
同樣地，羽毛搖曳，趾高氣揚地來回踱步，配合瞳孔收縮，有時還加上彈拍翅膀（把翅膀向外抽動）、懇求（被身體放平，翅膀些微外張）、身體抖動、或將身體重量由一隻腳轉到另一隻等都是受到與繁殖有關的刺激時出現的跡象。一隻在求偶狀態中昂首闊步地走的鸚鵡若被人類的手或其他身體部份侵擾的話會變得具攻擊性而非平和。
鳥兒藉身體姿勢玩的把戲：一些鸚鵡，尤其成熟的葵花種屬鸚鵡，亞馬遜鸚鵡和非洲灰鸚鵡，學會藉牠們的肢體語言開人的玩笑來娛樂自己。這些鳥可能向人發出表示友好和懇求的訊號，然而當人的手指移近時卻一口咬下去。這倒令一些本得到了一個熱情的邀請，到頭來卻換得指頭披血收場的人是很不好受。人若明白鳥這樣做是對他的一種警告的話，就當小心。一些葵花種屬的鸚鵡能熟練地以肢體語言，像一個無信用的情人能以文字騙人一樣，欺騙人。
金剛鸚鵡，即使是一些非常友善的，當他們遇見陌生人的時候還會佯裝要〝剌穿〞對方，並樂在其中，即使他們沒有意圖咬人。牠們這樣做是因為喜歡測試人類，看看他們會否因此被嚇跑。
滿足的鳥：
一隻正準備在晚上好好休息或只想來個小睡的鳥兒會以單腳站著，把另一隻腳提起藏在羽毛裡，或將喙部附近的臉羽抖鬆（如果牠是一隻美冠鸚鵡），完全閉上或微微閉起眼睛，並會磨嘴。這是鳥兒覺得滿足的表示之一﹐又因鳥兒在休息充足的情況下會有較好的行為，人類最好給他們的鳥兒一個安靜的，不受任何干擾的休息時間。
Mattie Sue Athan
她是Guides to the Well-Behaved, Companion, Quaker and Senegal
Parrots; The Second-hand Parrot, Parrots; 以及the African Grey
Parrot Handbook 的作者。她亦是Amazon.com's 的〝最暢銷鳥類護理書籍獎〞的勝出者，People
Magazine也有她的專訪。
PARROTS
& "BODY LANGUAGE"
Since
humans and parrots don't start out speaking the same language,
we must learn to interpret one another's intentions by observing
“body language”. People rely heavily on words, but birds are
naturally more adept at interpreting and communicating with
postures. It’s not unusual for companion parrots to know more
about what the people they live with say with their bodies
than the people know about what the birds are saying with
theirs.
WHAT PARROTS KNOW ABOUT PEOPLE
I have seen evidence to suggest that a bird knows that humans
have a dominant hand -- a hand that we use more and are more
adept with -- before humans have noticed that the bird has
a dominant foot. For example, if there is failure or insecurity
as the bird steps up on to the human hand, sometimes, the
bird is exhibiting a preference to step up on to a dominant
hand only. I'm not sure why this happens, whether a bird that
will step up only to a right hand knows that a right handed
human will try to pet it with the right hand unless it is
sitting on that hand (and maybe it doesn't want to be petted).
Or maybe the bird knows that a right-handed human's left hand
is less stable, and it will prefer to step up only on to a
right hand because that hand doesn't wobble as the bird is
lifted.
In about eighty percent of the cases I've seen in the last
25 years wherein the bird exhibits a preference for stepping
up on one hand over the other, it is balking consistently
at a left hand and stepping up dependably to a right hand.
In more than eight out of ten of those cases, the human reporting
the bird's behavior is right-hand dominant. More dependable
step-up response can be addressed by varying the step up practice,
perhaps by
• working from a low perch or chair back going from the chair
back to the right hand repeatedly and omitting the left hand
until responses are automatic
• substituting hand-held perches for hands
• covering hands with a towel
• by teaching step-backs rather than forward step-ups, or
• lowering the hand that is being stepped off of rather than
raising the hand that is stepped on to so that the hand the
bird is stepping to is more stable than the hand it is leaving.
WHAT PEOPLE CAN LEARN FROM PARROT POSTURES
Parrots express their emotions vocally and with attitudes
and postures, as well. Generally, a parrot that has very smooth
feathers and upright stance is wary or frightened. A bird
that has loose, ruffly feathers is probably happy. A bird
that has puffed out feathers and is sitting on one foot may
not feel well or might just be sleeping in a cool room. A
bird that has all feathers sticking as far out as possible,
tail flared, with shoulders or wings held out from the body
maybe courting or getting ready to fight.
HAPPINESS BEHAVIORS. A parrot
that is well and happy will signal to those around it that
it is well and happy. A healthy bird will sometimes stretch,
as though it were doing Tai Chi. It might slowly extend one
wing and one leg on the same side of the body, then return
it to position, and then extend the other wing and leg on
the other side of the body. It might stretch its wings up
or out, maybe even returning them to their place against the
back in a ritualistic, dance-like motion. A bird that is happily
greeting a friend, human or bird, might wag its tail or puff
out all its feathers momentarily. A tail wag might also be
something like a human "giggle". This parrot behavior
of wagging the tail rapidly back and forth might be a remnant
of something it felt when shaking water off its tail, but
also, it might be expressing the apparent sentiment that a
happy occurrence has just passed and it's time for another
adventure.
If a bird has been meeting new people and there is concern
that it has been interacting in a way that might be too forceful
for that particular bird (this includes early step-up training
for a new or previously unhandled bird), then returning the
bird to its perch and counting tail wags can give a good idea
of whether the interactions were too forceful. If the bird
wags its tail almost immediately after being put back on its
perch, the new interactions were probably not too forceful,
but if the bird does not wag its tail for several minutes
or doesn't wag its tail at all or rough out or do any happiness
behaviors after being put down, then the interaction with
humans may have been too stressful, and the bird should be
handled in more passive ways in the future.
Some happy birds, especially cockatoos, wiggle their tongues
or move their beaks up and down when they see someone or something
they like. A happy contented cockatoo might signal a desire
to be petted by fanning the facial feathers over the beak
and lowering the head to request petting. A happy, healthy
Amazon or macaw might signal an invitation to pet by turning
the head upside down, exposing the jaw.
No matter which happiness behaviors we are seeing: solicitations
to pet, beak chattering, tongue wiggling, stretches, tail
wags, or puff outs, if we are generally seeing more of them
every day, then we can be assured that the bird's training
and adjustment are on a positive path.
SIGNS THAT A BIRD IS GOING TO BITE.
Before a bird bites, it will give clues that it is going to
bite. First, it will look at what it is going to bite, it
will open it's beak and it will either spread its legs apart
for a firmer grip on the perch (in the case of a larger bird)
or it will charge that which it is going to bite (in the case
of a smaller bird). Humans interacting with the bird have
the responsibility to prevent the bite when it can be seen
that a bird might bite. This might be done by simply not putting
a hand or body part within range of the bird's bite, by putting
the bird down, or by making sure that something else, such
as a wooden toy, is between the bird's beak and the human
it intends to bite.
SIGNS OF STIMULATION. Eye movement
wherein the iris (colored part of the eye) grows larger and
the pupil (the black center of the eye) is quickly made smaller
is called "pinpointing" or "flashing".
This is a sign of motivation and might be a sign of motivation
to talk, to court, or to bite. Likewise, strutting around
with feathers flared, combined with pinpoint, sometimes with
wing flipping (quickly twitching the wing tightly against
the body), solicitation (body flattened, wings slightly out,
trembling, or shifting the weight from one foot to the other
are clearly signs of breeding-related stimulation. A parrot
strutting around in courtship mode is more likely to be aggressive
than peaceful if it encounters human hands or other intrusive
body parts.
TRICKS BIRDS PLAY WITH POSTURES:
some parrots, especially mature cockatoos, Amazons, and African
greys might learn to amuse themselves by playing tricks on
humans with their body language. Such birds might give outward
signs of friendliness and solicitation, then bite when they
are approached with fingers. This can be very uncomfortable
to the humans who got a big come-on and then are slashed and
bleeding. If a person who knows that a bird does this warns
you, take their word for it, some cockatoos can lie with their
body language as adeptly as a faithless lover can lie with
words.
Macaws, even very friendly ones, may enjoy fake "stabbing"
when they meet new people, even though they have no intention
to bite, doing this, apparently because they like to test
people, to see whether they will jump away.
CONTENTMENT: A bird that is
settling in for the night or for a nap, will stand on one
foot, with the other foot pulled up inside its feathers, may
fluff facial feathers over the beak (if it is a cockatoo),
close or slightly close the eyes, and grind it's beak. This
is a sign of contentment, and since birds are better behaved
in all areas if they have enough rest, humans are best advised
to allow their birds to rest, leaving a resting bird in peace.
Mattie Sue Athan
is the Author of Guides to the Well-Behaved, Companion, Quaker,
and Senegal Parrots; The Second-hand Parrot, Parrots; and
the African Grey Parrot Handbook. She is the Winner of Amazon.com’s
Bestselling Bird Care
Book Award and has been featured in People Magazine.
http://www.positivelyparrots.com/
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