Scream Fest...On Purpose

When I adopted my first secondhand parrot, Nanday conure Gigi, I read over and over again how loud Nandays can be.  I wasn't discouraged in the least, but I did read about what to do when your bird is a screamer, or loud, and since then, nine parrots later, this info has come in handy.

First thing to master is " the ignore." Do nothing save for maybe leave the room, which is probably the last thing your parrot wants you to do, but likely the first thing you want to do.  Other than leave, do not respond in any way.  Do not change what you're doing. Do not look at your parrot, tell your bird to be quiet or gently coo to your bird.  Do nada.

The second, more proactive approach is to work a Scream Fest into your daily routine with your bird.  This can be unbelievably satisfying for your bird(s), and if you have a job like I do, it can be a lifesaver in the sanity department.

So how does one go about a Scream Fest?

When I get home for work, all birdies come downstairs and go on their playstands.  After fresh food and water are doled out, and they've had a chance to snack a bit, I grab a bird to help me conduct the evening's symphony (or should I say cacophony?).  I sing loudly to start it off, dancing with conductor bird of the evening on my arm, and then call each bird's name and imitate some sound I know they love to make.   It doesn't take much to get the flock to going.

They scream, sing, whistle, bang bells, and have a grand 'ole time, really, really loudly. The whole affair is ridiculous...looking and sounding.   But who cares?  Our house, our asylum.

We do this for 10 minutes, sometimes 15, if I've had a day from hell.  Then we settle down, the denouement as it were, and it's over.  They go back to eating, preening or playing, and I do what I need to - in relative silence. 

This has worked for me. If you have a problem screamer, let them get it out and have fun doing it with you.  But make the Scream Fest something you initiate, preferably soon after you've come home from work, or returned from errands when your parrot friend is expecting a little acknowledgement and attention from you.

It's not a good idea for you to allow your bird to commence a Scream Fest. This could be confusing - how will your bird know when it's ok and when it's not? 

But do have one regularly, and you'll be amazed at the results.  A Scream Fest a day, keeps crankiness away!

And always keep in mind intense vocalizations we think of as sreaming are completely normal and, one could argue, very appropriate, at dawn and dusk. These are the times parrots are noisy in the wild.  I haven't attempted to change this in my parrots because it doesn't bother me, and I think they should be able to answer nature's call and be parrots.

Birdie Byte
Incidentally, I lucked out because my Gigi is not a very loud bird; I love every last noise she makes.   In fact, I haven't found Nandays to be particularly loud.  My Mitred and Gold-Capped conures can beat a Nanday any day on the vocalization front.  And don't get me started on cockatoos....you cockatoo owners know what I mean - see the video below if you doubt the vocal prowess of a Too.

But ALL BIRDS MAKE NOISE, and frequently they're loudest when it's most inconvenient for you - when you're on the horn with your kid's doctor, or you've just connected with a real live person on the phone after navigating umpteen voice prompts. 

It's really a question of tolerance level.  Before you decide to bring a bird into your life, be sure you know what that species can sound like at its worse.  Visit your local rescue to get acquainted with different species or talk to your avian vet.  If you feel you must have a baby, a sign of a good breeder is one that addresses this question and wants to help find a companion that's right for your temperment.