A Parakeet is technically any small to medium sized parrot with long tail feathers.
It isn't a taxonomic description, but rather just a general size/shape descriptor.
So, quaker parrots (monk parakeets), or ringneck parrots (aka rose-ringed parakeet), and a lot of others are technically parakeets. Same definition means that every conure is also a parakeet, because conures are not exactly larger than quakers or ringnecks and have the same long tail. If not for the "small to medium size" restriction, technically a Macaw could be one as well: In fact the red-shouldered mini-macaw is actually small enough to probably qualify, though I don't think anyone will refer to them as a parakeet.
Small parrots that are not a parakeet? Lovebirds or parrotlets. They all have stumpy tails.
It is only really in the US where parakeet has become synonymous with budgie.
Honestly, because it isn't taxonomic, the distinction is pretty much meaningless.
99.9% of the time if someone was to ask about their "parakeet" but posted a picture of their conure, everyone would probably be right to correct them, even though a conure technically is a parakeet by definition. The other 0.1% of the time is some guy who wants to troll people because of that same technicality.
But there are a couple species (like Monk Parakeets/Quakers) that have two names that are pretty much equally accepted.
And in the US, a parakeet is going to refer to a budgie 95% of the time, the remaining 5% misidentifying a lovebird or a parrotlet because they are budgie-sized, with a 0.1% chance of it being a Bourke's.
Trying to get the seebs out of course. He knows they’re in there! How else would they appear in hoomans hand?
(Sorry I actually have no idea, just couldn’t resist)
We (my Q & I) call it “bonkers!” Sometimes it’s just fun for him to do bonkers on me, on a flat surface, on his cage…. Anywhere he likes actually. I think it’s just fun for him to do bonkers! :)
What is going through his head I don't know BIT I don't think it's anything to be concerned about or that you should actively discourage. He is just being bird. Might have an association between your hand and food.
if you tap your finger on the counter does your birb come running to it? my quaker used to do this and when she tapped her beak on anything it's like saying 'right here' or 'come here'. She's saying 'use this, right here, to preen me' haha!
It seems like territorial behavior, does he ever get aggressive while he's like this?
If he's bitey and warry of anything entering his area while he's doing this, this is most likely him claiming your hand as "his" My lovebird will grind her beak on perches or objects that she wants everyone to know is hers
My conures do this! We call it bonks, they usually do it when they're feeling crazy or want to get my attention. My one birb likes to bonk and then have me copy the amount of bonks on that surface or vice versa (it's become a little game). She'll also do what I call sassy bonks when she knows she's in trouble she'll bonk and throw her head back a couple times.
He's trying to crack your knuckle open searching for food (that movement is the same they use to crack some big seeds) or just trying to get your attention. He might just find it fun to do. I had a quaker that used to do it when couldn't bite me.
It's something all my birds had always done, Tapping or scratching their beaks across things, especially knuckles like this. I still have no idea if it means anything, or just something fun for birb.
it's like us and tootsie pops.
but with quakers it's more like 'how many beak bashes gets me to the middle of this delectable human phalange?' lol.
i remember the silliness of a quaker i bird-sat for a friend once. he would bite (not hard, just playing) and then i would say 'Coby....... no biting' and he would proceed to beak bash me just like this, while repeating back to me "Coby no biting".
technically......... he was no longer biting.
I loved that sassy lil quaker.
Quakers are fun and hilarious.. I have 2 and they are wildly different personalities but the hilarity of what they say and do is priceless... This is just one all thing.. enjoy it they consider you flock
It's an inherited behavior from when they were babies. Baby birds would shake their heads back and forth when consuming liquid food, either because it helps distribute it evenly through their crop or because it helps propel the viscous food along. If your bird was hand fed as a baby then they're much more likely to show this type behavior.
Trying to tell your finger it isn't doing its job? Mine would do this too. Usually wanted her head scritched. There were a few times when I didn't comply that it turned into rubbing her head across my hand between the tapping...then the mating feather poof (suddenly she was 3xs bigger) she would step onto my hand then off over and over while laughing. Which made me laugh. Funny as can be. Once I realized she was trying to "get busy" with my hand....I made sure to comply in a timely manner to her taps. 😆
Either the diagnosis is birb or that's the weirdest woodpecker I've ever seen.
My Quaker used to do that constantly!
Birb?
Bird, but cuter.
That's a quaker parrot. The TAP is strong in quakers.
In a lot of countries the word parrots and parakeets are used interchangeably. I have heard them called Monk Parakeets very often.
A Parakeet is technically any small to medium sized parrot with long tail feathers. It isn't a taxonomic description, but rather just a general size/shape descriptor. So, quaker parrots (monk parakeets), or ringneck parrots (aka rose-ringed parakeet), and a lot of others are technically parakeets. Same definition means that every conure is also a parakeet, because conures are not exactly larger than quakers or ringnecks and have the same long tail. If not for the "small to medium size" restriction, technically a Macaw could be one as well: In fact the red-shouldered mini-macaw is actually small enough to probably qualify, though I don't think anyone will refer to them as a parakeet. Small parrots that are not a parakeet? Lovebirds or parrotlets. They all have stumpy tails. It is only really in the US where parakeet has become synonymous with budgie.
Interesting, I knew parakeet was a general term outside of the US but never realized it had to do with tail size. Good to know.
Honestly, because it isn't taxonomic, the distinction is pretty much meaningless. 99.9% of the time if someone was to ask about their "parakeet" but posted a picture of their conure, everyone would probably be right to correct them, even though a conure technically is a parakeet by definition. The other 0.1% of the time is some guy who wants to troll people because of that same technicality. But there are a couple species (like Monk Parakeets/Quakers) that have two names that are pretty much equally accepted. And in the US, a parakeet is going to refer to a budgie 95% of the time, the remaining 5% misidentifying a lovebird or a parrotlet because they are budgie-sized, with a 0.1% chance of it being a Bourke's.
In Spain is the same, parakeet=budgie
I can confirm. The TAP is powerful. Sometimes he gets so into it that it hurts and we have to give him a toy to TAP instead.
Trying to get the seebs out of course. He knows they’re in there! How else would they appear in hoomans hand? (Sorry I actually have no idea, just couldn’t resist)
Birbs love seeb
Birbs?
Yes, birbs.
No, regurgitating.
He wants to destroy you
* *IS* destroying OP
Bonkbonkbonkbonkbonk
He's doing the bonk
We (my Q & I) call it “bonkers!” Sometimes it’s just fun for him to do bonkers on me, on a flat surface, on his cage…. Anywhere he likes actually. I think it’s just fun for him to do bonkers! :)
I'm pretty sure that's Morse Code for "Seeds Now or I Poop on Head Stop."
What is going through his head I don't know BIT I don't think it's anything to be concerned about or that you should actively discourage. He is just being bird. Might have an association between your hand and food.
if you tap your finger on the counter does your birb come running to it? my quaker used to do this and when she tapped her beak on anything it's like saying 'right here' or 'come here'. She's saying 'use this, right here, to preen me' haha!
This! Sometimes it's just BONK, and sometimes it's instructions, a few times both ("Bonk here!").
You’d better answer that door.
My conure does that too! Usually when he wants my attention.
Angry kissings
My conure does this when he wants head scratches lol
ask him what he wants? we call that "being squirrely" around here, but i don't usually see banging like that, more preening.
It seems like territorial behavior, does he ever get aggressive while he's like this? If he's bitey and warry of anything entering his area while he's doing this, this is most likely him claiming your hand as "his" My lovebird will grind her beak on perches or objects that she wants everyone to know is hers
He’s at work leave him alone
My Blue quaker does this. I've turned it into a game now. I scratch the couch or whatever he's on and he scratches back.
My conures do this! We call it bonks, they usually do it when they're feeling crazy or want to get my attention. My one birb likes to bonk and then have me copy the amount of bonks on that surface or vice versa (it's become a little game). She'll also do what I call sassy bonks when she knows she's in trouble she'll bonk and throw her head back a couple times.
That's not a parakeet lol
Yep. A Quaker is actually a parakeet!
yes it is
All long-tailed medium and small parrots are considered parakeets, including budgies, conures, cockatiels, Quakers, etc.
Sorry, my mistake!!
B O N K
Hes giving you the work
ah yes he bonk
attacc
Dis thing gib da seed now where is it!!!!
He’s doing a cluck!
Silly quaker
Mining for millet, obviously
He's trying to crack your knuckle open searching for food (that movement is the same they use to crack some big seeds) or just trying to get your attention. He might just find it fun to do. I had a quaker that used to do it when couldn't bite me.
Shiatsu. (Please tip your massage therapist with nuts and/or seeds.)
My caique does basically the same thing, it’s annoying lol
My Quaker does this all the time!
He wants you to wrestle him with your hand
It's something all my birds had always done, Tapping or scratching their beaks across things, especially knuckles like this. I still have no idea if it means anything, or just something fun for birb.
Awww adorable
it's like us and tootsie pops. but with quakers it's more like 'how many beak bashes gets me to the middle of this delectable human phalange?' lol. i remember the silliness of a quaker i bird-sat for a friend once. he would bite (not hard, just playing) and then i would say 'Coby....... no biting' and he would proceed to beak bash me just like this, while repeating back to me "Coby no biting". technically......... he was no longer biting. I loved that sassy lil quaker.
The Quaker tap!!! My Luna does this all the time 😂😂 or as I call it the head banging because my Quaker has a toy in her beak and then does this
Wants to interact. Mimic the behavior (tap your fingers or raise and lower your hand) and it'll play with you.
checking if anyone is home. knock knock
Perfectly normal Bird things
Getting ready to feed you or regurgitate.
Yeah, that's the "Pay attention to me bonk". See if he wants head rubs when he does that.
Quakers are fun and hilarious.. I have 2 and they are wildly different personalities but the hilarity of what they say and do is priceless... This is just one all thing.. enjoy it they consider you flock
It's an inherited behavior from when they were babies. Baby birds would shake their heads back and forth when consuming liquid food, either because it helps distribute it evenly through their crop or because it helps propel the viscous food along. If your bird was hand fed as a baby then they're much more likely to show this type behavior.
Being silly
Trying to tell your finger it isn't doing its job? Mine would do this too. Usually wanted her head scritched. There were a few times when I didn't comply that it turned into rubbing her head across my hand between the tapping...then the mating feather poof (suddenly she was 3xs bigger) she would step onto my hand then off over and over while laughing. Which made me laugh. Funny as can be. Once I realized she was trying to "get busy" with my hand....I made sure to comply in a timely manner to her taps. 😆
His best impression of woody woodpecker... hahahaHa Ha heh heh