Amazon Overload Behavior
By Sally Blanchard

Reprinted and updated from Issue #3 of the Pet Bird Report January 1992. This article is copyrighted and may not be reprinted without the written permission of Sally Blanchard or the PBIC, Inc. Contact us for permission.

The Game

"Keep-away" was his favorite game. The yellow-nape laughed with delight as he chased after the squeaky ball as fast as his short little legs could carry him. Grabbing hold of the soft rubber ball, he rolled over on his back. Squeezing it excitedly, he squealed in imitation of the shrill repetitive noise that it made. As the ball exploded out from his grasp, his owner grabbed it and tossed it to her friend.

The parrot ran after the ball so fast, he tripped over his own feet at least a half dozen times. Just as he got to the person with the ball, she rolled it back to his owner. He turned and half running, half flying (almost like a coot running on water) reached his owner at the same time as the ball. She grabbed it first. The Amazon reached out with his beak and grabbed her hand instead, biting her severely. The fun was over and the parrot's owner was bleeding and shocked. My client wanted to know why had her sweet, tame pet suddenly turned into a vicious, aggressive monster?

Excitement Overload

The Amazon was not being vicious or aggressive. The playful yellow-nape had reached the level of excitement I call 'Overload.' A parrot (often an Amazon but certainly other species also exhibit this behavior) becomes over-stimulated and reaches a point when its behavior becomes frenzied. My guess is that when a parrot becomes that over-stimulated, its actions are not simply behavioral. Perhaps adrenaline, or epinephrine, is secreted into the blood stream putting the bird into some sort of 'super' mode? Adrenaline is a hormone secreted by the adrenal gland that enables an animal to meet sudden dangers and emergencies with physiological changes.

This would occur in the wild when a parrot must fight to defend its family, flock, or territory. The over-excitement may send a confusing message to the companion parrot's brain resulting in 'overload' behavior which the parrot has no control over. I have no evidence for this except for my many observations of pet parrots who drastically change behavior when there is a great deal of excitement.

This is not a time when the UP command will work from an assertive owner. The owner who attempts to pick their bird during 'overload' induced behavior will certainly regret trying (might as well put your hand in the garbage disposal!?! I doubt that there is any modification that could change this 'overload' behavior as it seems to be beyond the parrot's conscious control. However, I feel that if the owner recognizes 'overload' as a possibility in certain situations, changes can be made in the way the parrot is handled during these situations.

My client didn't have to stop playing 'keep-away' with her yellow-nape. She just has to watch closely and notice when he becomes over excited When his squealing becomes more intense, his eyes dilate and his head feathers stand on end, she leaves the yellow nape to play with the ball by himself and waits for him to play out his energy and settle down. She also purchased a net to swoop the ball into if the parrot becomes totally out of control. In addition, I showed her how to gently throw a towel on top of her parrot from the front, wrap him up in it and take him to his cage safely if she needs to before he calms down.

'Predictably Unpredictable'

Amazons have a reputation for being unpredictable. My feeling is that they are quite predictable in their unpredictability. If owners pay close attention to their parrot, they will learn to read the barometers of Amazon behavior and prevent situations that create both 'overload' and confusion. Conflict between the natural behaviors and the artificial environment can also create confusion which may result in predictable and therefore preventable aggressive behavior. Although it is true that an owner who has established nurturing dominance over their parrot will experience far less aggressive behavior, a parrot in 'overload' or one being stimulated by instincts is not acting in a conscious manner.

The classic example is the shoulder tame Amazon that instinctively must defend its territory and mate against intruders. Bonding to our heads and perceiving our shoulders and body as some sort of 'moving tree branch,' the bird instinctively will defend its perceived 'mate' and territory from intruders. When an Amazon is allowed to sit on its owners shoulder, this confused defense may include a good beak poke at its owners face (most likely to try and make the mate leave the area of danger) when a family member enters the room.

I've known more than one Amazon owner with facial scars and hurt feelings from otherwise tame parrots. This is not a conscious decision on the parrot's part and should not be taken as a personal attack. It was not the parrot's fault and in truth, the parrot can be trusted again if the owner learns to pay attention to body language and follow some simple rules to prevent aggression in their parrot. Changing the Amazon's instinctive behavior may not be possible in this kind of situation. The simple solution is to be aware that this can happen and not to allow an Amazon parrot on your shoulder, especially if it is strongly bonded to you and has tried to 'defend' you from other family members.

If you insist on having your parrot on your shoulder, care should be taken to shield your face when others who may be perceived as a threat enter the room. By paying attention and understanding 'overload' and possible instinctive confusion, the owner can prevent many problem situations. A pet parrot is not bad or mean because it behaves in a natural instinctive way in its confusing artificial environment. To guarantee a positive parrot/human relationship, the owner must accept responsibility in understanding and avoiding the situations that produce this kind of problem behavior.

NOTE: Amazons are not the only parrot that experiences Overload Behavior. It can occur with any companion parrot if the situation is conducive. 

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