Taming Frightened Birds

We get lots of questions, and this subject seems to crop up frequently. Kristina asked, "I bought a Rosy Bourke and he will not come to me or anything. He runs away or flies away. What can I do to tame him?"

Young, hand fed Rosy Bourke Parakeets, close
to being weaned and able to eat on their own.

Our Answer: 

Hello Kristina, 

My book, "Rosie Bird's Guide to Small Exotic Birds" includes "Taming, Talking and More" in Chapter Ten. Meanwhile, here are a few thoughts.

1) How old your bird is helps determine how well you can tame him or her. Young birds are easiest to tame. 

2) Birds raised in a home environment are much easier to tame than those that grew up in an aviary without close human contact, interaction or household noises. 

3) Frequent gentle, sweet talk is the best thing you can do for a frightened bird. Bourkes like to be talked to and almost always will respond to a quiet, friendly voice. 

4) Once he's not afraid of you, after days or weeks, then offer treats gradually from your hand. Spray millet is good, so is cooked corn or fresh broccoli or kale. Mine particularly love rice chex cereal. Hold your hand still by his perch and see if he will come take it from you. Patience is key.

5) Never get angry at, or frustrated by, your bird. They are excellent at sensing our moods and will respond accordingly.

I hand feed Bourkes from about two weeks of age, and those in my videos were hand fed and therefore very tame.  You might want to consider a hand fed bird companion for your bird. A bird that is already tame can be instrumental in helping the other bird gain trust and be less fearful. 

I always recommend people get two birds.  They are social creatures and very subject to depression if left alone during the day when humans can't always be present. Even those who work in the home will not be constantly around for their pet bird, so another bird is of immense value to your bird's happiness and well-being.

Buying a hand fed bird is the easiest way to ensure you'll have a friendly bird, however, with patience and diligence, most birds will settle down and hopefully begin to trust you. Good luck." 

Peace & Feathered Blessings!

Feather Art by Chris Maynard.
He does beautiful, intricate artwork. In this picture
he used some of our Rosy Bourke Parakeet feathers.