Territorial Behavior Between Birds

[Nostromo]

Hi all,

As some of you know, we welcomed a 3 year old male eclectus into our home a couple months ago. What fun it's been! He has a lot of personality - can be sweet as a peach or a bit of a bully, depending on his mood. He's gotten along fairly well with the parrot we had already, our 14 year old blue head pionus. But lately they've been squabbling over territory. Our Pi is flighted, and our ekkie is not (yet). Our pi will fly onto (or sometimes into) his cage, or onto his perch, and eat his food. He doesn't seem to mind when he isn't in those areas, but when he is... oh boy. He will rush up with his beak open and wings out; she'll defend with her beak open and wings out; and if she doesn't fly off immediately (usually she doesn't) he'll strike at her with his beak. He has made contact although I've never seen him close his beak in a bite, just strike. She'll shriek and fly off and seem shaken.

How can I manage this behavior? I don't want to avoid them being out together at all; I want to help them get along. One part of me says to just let them work it out, since no damage seems to be done, and our Pi can and does fly off. I figure she'll learn eventually not to try to take his food? On the other hand, I obviously want to avoid an injury. Other than fighting over food, they tolerate each other nicely and don't go after each other if they're in proximity but have enough space.

 

[birdienerd]

Hi all,

As some of you know, we welcomed a 3 year old male eclectus into our home a couple months ago. What fun it's been! He has a lot of personality - can be sweet as a peach or a bit of a bully, depending on his mood. He's gotten along fairly well with the parrot we had already, our 14 year old blue head pionus. But lately they've been squabbling over territory. Our Pi is flighted, and our ekkie is not (yet). Our pi will fly onto (or sometimes into) his cage, or onto his perch, and eat his food. He doesn't seem to mind when he isn't in those areas, but when he is... oh boy. He will rush up with his beak open and wings out; she'll defend with her beak open and wings out; and if she doesn't fly off immediately (usually she doesn't) he'll strike at her with his beak. He has made contact although I've never seen him close his beak in a bite, just strike. She'll shriek and fly off and seem shaken.

How can I manage this behavior? I don't want to avoid them being out together at all; I want to help them get along. One part of me says to just let them work it out, since no damage seems to be done, and our Pi can and does fly off. I figure she'll learn eventually not to try to take his food? On the other hand, I obviously want to avoid an injury. Other than fighting over food, they tolerate each other nicely and don't go after each other if they're in proximity but have enough space.

Seems that your ekkie doesnt like the pi in his cage, eating his food, this is a pretty normal thing many multi-bird owners deal with!! While theyre out, try closing their cages, or removing food from inside the cages. I assume they’re fed apart in their own cage, I’ve heard feeding together/closer together can help, Try eating with them both too! (like having a “communal” food bowl on a neutral space/perch) My birds are bonded, but they still squabble over food occasionally! Goodluck