Image Credit

It most certainly looks funny, if not sometimes hilarious.  However, many first time bird owners get a little worried when Polly stands on her head as it were.  Can you imagine, you have begun to love your little avian amigo and then you come down the stairs on morning to be greeted with your pet vertically recumbent and unmoving,  Little wonder so many bird owners take a while to see the funny side the first time it happens.  Frici the lovebird above looks as if it is ready for the oven (though he is quite safe – proof further down the article). So why do birds sometimes like to hang out upside down?

Image Credit

What are you looking at? Juice the African Grey loves hanging around.  The reality behind the strange posture is that it is not so strange at all.  It is simply natural behavior for birds and owners should not be worried unless it happens way too much.  That might mean that your pet has had a run in with a vampire bird and is slowly changing in to a ravenous creature of the night.  Well, no (even though that might be an idea so bad that it could make a good movie).  An upside down bird is like a cake of the same variety – it’s done for a purpose.  It is usually even a good sign.

Image Credit

Imagine entering the room to this sight for the first time.  Cockatiel goes Tarantino.  Of course, Klusha has not been the victim of some mafia style execution – he is doing what comes naturally.  What he is saying here is ‘this space is mine’ and so, in order to say this to any other passing cockatiel (or indeed the humans that he owns) he will hang upside down for a while and extend his wings, almost crucifix style.  It’s more or less what Frici in the first picture is doing as well.  Not all domestic birds will do this, but it is of no concern.  The cockatiel-mobile is not just about to swing around a corner.

Image Credit

At the risk of going all Oscar Wilde about this, to have one hanging bird may perhaps be looked at (initially) as a misfortune.  To have eight might just seem a little careless.  If birds are kept together once one of them discovers the joy of hanging around upside down then it is only a matter of time before the rest of the flock join in.  These birds are wonderful mimics, after all.  If a piece of plastic can look nonplussed then that is what is being managed here.

Image Credit

Without getting too Monty Python about it, of course, if your parrot or budgie let’s go of the perch and hits the ground with something of a thud then that may not be a good sign, after all.  Generally, though, the ground thudding shouldn’t happen until they are well in to their dotage.  Hanging upside down is usually a sign that the bird is quite comfortable where it is.  Let’s face it – swinging around upside down makes a bird vulnerable – and so what the bird is basically telling you that it is happy and healthy and likes the home you are sharing with it.

Image Credit

Juice, above, loves hanging around.  What a bird.

Image Credit

Frankie says just do it (for those readers who remember the eighties).  It can be a sign too that the bird is ready to have some fun – in other words play with you and it is when it is in this sort of mood (parrots can get crabby, oh boy) then it may well be a good time for you to share your knowledge of a few tricks with which it can impress your friends – even though hanging upside down may well impress any number of the more easily pleased anyway.  However if your feathered friend is spending what you feel is too much time standing on his head in mid air you may want to take him to your friendly neighborhood avian veterinarian to put your mind at rest.

Image Credit

Some birds will use their cage as a spring board.  They will hang on to its bars and then launch themselves in to space – quite often towards its water.  This nose dive looks a little scary in such a small place but the birds have great judgment and will not end up denting their beaks or bashing the heads in this bullet-like procedure.  If you are a little faint hearted perhaps it is best to vacate the room when you see the countdown for this going on.  They will even use anything handy from which to hang and then launch.

Image Credit

If you are going to keep birds like parrots then maybe it is time to wave goodbye to those chandeliers.  Bird such a parrots will known by sheer instinct what their wings are for – flying fast and far.  So, the habit of hanging upside down is also for exercise – to keep itself in trim.  You may well want to invest in a more powerful vacuum cleaner if you chose to cohabit with one.

Image Credit

Just to show you that hanging upside down is not a habit purely of domesticated birds and so nothing to worry about too much here is one of their wild cousins at play.  Of course, there will be much food in the wild that will only be accessible if certain aerobic acrobatics are performed.  It is just another reason why upside down birds are of no great concern.  The rainbow lorikeet below is just doing what comes naturally.

Image Credit

Oh and no birds were hung against their will in the making of this article…  Here is proof – Frici safe and well and not a shred of aluminum foil in sight!

Image Credit