# yawning?



## alea (Jan 20, 2004)

Sometimes I see my birds doing what looks like gulping air. They usually do it 3 or so times in a row, then they stop. Is this normal? What are they doing?
Thanks in advance...
Alea


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Mine do it too, so I assume it's normal but I don't know what prompts it!

Someone once linked it to canker, but I have not had any canker in my aviary, ever, and I have had a lot of yawning.

Cynthia


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## dano7 (Feb 10, 2004)

They all yawn, like people do - why do we do it??? does seem to happen at a low energy level or a precursor to sleep in many species.


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## alea (Jan 20, 2004)

Thanks guys,... I feel better.


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

That is cute! I see all my birds (feral flock) doing it all the time.

But as Cynthia said it could be linked to canker in certain cases, I had a bird with canker who sneezed, picked at his nose with his nail and yawned a lot because there were lumps of canker in his throat .. so in some cases it could be canker.

Mary


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Sometimes they also yawn to let off nervous energy. The first time Walter flew onto the roof, he seemed startled that he flew that high and gave a huge yawn! It took me over two hours to convince him he could fly down from that height! ;-)

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Terri B


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## hilary (Jun 20, 2002)

My Hercs does it when he's settling down and he's relaxed. I also think it looks so cute!!!
Hilary


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## Nanci (Jul 4, 2003)

Do you mean when they do a thing that isn't exactly yawning, but is more like they are going to vomit, like what parrots do to express affection? Milly does that all the time- if I tickle him under the wings, he gets all amorous and starts doing the "puking" thing for me. Nothing actually comes up, though.

Nanci


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Nanci,
What I have seen is different from the baby-feeding thing. It's definitely a yawn, just very fast. It sort of looks like they are making a grab at something just above their head.

Hilary,
I agree, it is very cute!

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Terri B


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## hilary (Jun 20, 2002)

Hi Nanci
No, the "yawning" thing is not the "amorous" one. I know what you are talking about with the "puking" one. That one is the amorous one. Almost like they are going to regurgitate and open and semi close their beaks, almost like they are panting.
Hilary


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## birdman1 (May 15, 2004)

sometimes they do that after coming into bright sunlight, or if you shine a flashlight on them at night.


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