Can Birds Actually Be Afraid of Heights?

• Tweet

• Tweet

Military Macaw

Many captive pet parrots are, in fact, scared of heights. This is because a huge percentage of them are clipped, and when they can’t fly and have some sort of accident where they hit the ground, they become afraid of it happening again.

Parrots are meant to forage on the ground and in trees, so they are not born with this unchangeable fear of the ground. However, they can be scared of being dropped or being in a vulnerable position of which they can’t get out of. If you place a clipped bird on the ground, how can it get off the ground? You are its only way and you may not always know the second it wants up. So a lot of birds tend to avoid being down there in the first place.

Some ways you can get your bird used to the idea of being on the floor are:

1. Making sure the area is safe in your parrot’s eyes; no larger animals around (aka predators to them) and nothing scary down there.
2. Treats ALWAYS help! Offer your bird it’s favorite thing to eat on the ground.
3. Foot toys are easy to play with on the floor, so offer ones you bird isn’t afraid of.
4. Get down on the same level as your bird, don’t hover over it while it’s on the ground. It’s not natural for a bird to like being hovered over, that is normally a dangerous position in the wild and goes against all instincts.
5. Try letting your parrot play on a play gym or foraging tree that is close to the ground. Entice your bird to go to the bottom with treats and toys it likes and see if it will go by itself.
6. Lay on the ground on your back or stomach and play or cuddle with your parrot to make “being close to the ground” a happy experience.