Parakeet Behaviors: Beak Tapping

Because they are extremely social, intelligent and long-lived, parakeets make great pets. Before you purchase a parakeet, you need to understand the kind of care and interaction a parakeet requires. This includes knowing how it will interact with you and other birds through behavior such as beak tapping. Without the right amount of attention, a parakeet might demonstrate destructive and aggressive behavior such as screaming or biting.

  1. Parakeet Personality Traits

    • Parakeets are social animals who need lots of attention.

      To have a good relationship with your parakeets, you need to understand their personalities and the kind of care they need. All varieties of parakeets are very social animals. In the wild they often live in flocks of thousands. Parakeets interact socially by using their beaks and knowing the different kind of beak tapping and how to respond will help you provide the right kind of attention to your parakeet.

    Social Beak Tapping

    • Parakeets will tap beaks as a form of greeting.

      If you have more than one parakeet, you may notice that they tap beaks. This is how parakeets greet each other. You should use beak tapping as a way to bond with your bird, especially when you first purchase him or her. By tapping your parakeet's beak with your fingernail, you are simulating a friendly greeting to him or her.

    Object Beak Tapping

    • Parakeets may tap their beaks on other items in their cage.

      In addition to beak tapping as a form of greeting, many parakeets tap objects in their surroundings. They may tap on their toys, the mirror in their cage, or the cage bars. This is common behavior for parakeets and will sometimes occur in response to a noise the owner or another person makes elsewhere in the house.

    Mating Beak Tapping

    • There is another kind of beak tapping that will occur when parakeets are preparing to mate. Male parakeets are known for their rapid beak tapping, and when a male wants to mate with a female, he will rapidly tap her beak. Then he will move his beak up and down her beak. Parakeets can be shy, so if you want to breed your parakeets and notice this behavior, you should stay away from the cage.