Excessive bird noise generally means the bird is unhappy about something. While it is normal for birds to make a variety of noises, whether singing, talking or chirping, excessive bird noise is usually a behavioral problem that can be corrected through proper training – for you and your bird! A common cause of excessive bird noise is boredom. Much like a small child, your bird is seeking attention in any way he can. He doesn’t differentiate between positive attention, such as playing, and negative attention, like scolding. Any attention is “good” attention as far as a bored bird is concerned. Increasing the amount of time you spend socializing with your bird can often help reduce excessive bird noise.
In addition to increasing the amount of socialization time, establishing specific play times and rest times can help minimize excessive bird noise. You may wish to try covering your bird’s cage for a short time, then uncovering it and socializing with him. This will teach him to rest quietly and then be rewarded with play time. Some excessive bird noise that is due to boredom can be reduced or even eliminated by providing your bird with an avian friend. This could be a mate in the same cage, or another bird in the same room. When your bird persists in making excessive amounts of noise, it is important to calmly ignore him. When he quiets down, be sure to lavish him with praise. Each time his volume increases, resume ignoring him. Since attention is usually what he is craving, ignoring the bad behavior and praising the desired behavior is always the best tactic. Be warned. No one said it was easy! But it will work with time and consistency. Some breeds of birds tend to make more noise at particular times of day. Cockatoos, for example, like to mark the rising and setting of the sun with loud greetings. You may find you need to cover your bird’s cage at particular times of the day, or move his cage to an interior room with less natural light. Some excessive bird noise is how birds mark the approach or arrival of their mating season. They are simply calling out to see if there are any available mates to be found! Excessive bird noise can also be an indication that your bird is frightened. If your normally quiet bird suddenly makes very loud noises, you should definitely investigate his environment! Most excessive bird noise is just your pet trying to get your attention and finding the source of his unhappiness and positively reinforcing quiet behavior are the best antidotes to this noisy situation.
