Some people who have parrots, especially those with younger birds, have noticed that their birds seem to behave more nervously when the lights go out at night. Not every bird will experience this, but enough do that it’s appropriate to understand why this can happen. Issues can range from nervous behaviors such as crying, whining, or calling out from their cage when the lights are turned out to panic and thrashing in the cage in the middle of the night. It can be hard to hear the birds we care about crying out and it can be quite scary finding our birds panicking and possibly injuring themselves if it gets bad enough during a night fright. Although the reasons can vary for these issues, there are some things we can do to make it easier for our birds to adjust from daytime activities to bedtime when it becomes a struggle. 

Why do Bedtime Issues Occur?

It’s important to rule out medical issues or environmental stressors before we look at further steps to correct problems surrounding bedtime. If a bird is crying out etc., especially when they are also doing so during the day, we want to make sure they aren’t in any pain or discomfort and that their cage isn’t in an area that is causing them stress. When we are sure that they are medically sound and in an appropriate location, we can examine the issues and look for solutions. 

Parrots are highly social creatures that live their lives in flocks with several other birds. It is irregular for a parrot to be alone - especially at night when they are more vulnerable. Although birds can still experience nervousness and anxiety when they are caged with other birds, a bird that is alone is more likely to do so. Young birds seem to be more prone to experiencing nervousness around nighttime. If they are very young, they probably aren’t used to being alone, especially when it gets dark. We can assume that they might feel vulnerable and frightened. Sometimes, a bird will develop a pair bond with their human. This is when a bird sees the human as a mate instead of just a flock companion. The pair bond can create a lot of issues including separation anxiety, so it should be corrected in an appropriate way (through the use of training and positive reinforcement) and there is a good chance that it will help with nighttime issues as well. 

Crying, Whining, and Calling Out

Some people express that their bird cries out as soon as they turn out the lights or cover their bird’s cage at night. They might make whining sounds, perform contact calls, or make other sounds indicating that they are distressed. Looking at videos and listening to examples explained by parrot owners, a pattern can often be seen that a bird will suddenly cry out when lights are turned off without a gradual or predictable transition into bedtime. When looking up advice for these issues, people are usually met with conflicting information from flat out ignoring the bird to taking them out of their cage or changing their location in the house. But the causes are often not explained or looked into. 

In order to help us understand why this behavior might be occurring, let's look at how most parrots sleep in the wild. They tend to sleep in groups in a specific roasting location with other flockmates. They don’t usually just fall asleep, either. They will often engage in preening and other comfort behaviors. These comfort behaviors likely contribute to overall ease when it’s time to rest because they probably help soothe each other and contribute to a positive nighttime experience. In captivity, many birds are kept as single birds and/or do not have a routine around bedtime. This is not to say that a person should run out and get another bird, but instead, changes should be made to improve the likelihood that a parrot will feel comforted when it’s time for bed. A lot of this revolves around creating a healthy bedtime routine that is predictable and conducive to a good night’s rest. We will look at some ways to do this later in this blog post. 

Night Frights

Most birds will at some point experience a night fright. For some, however, this can be a regular occurrence. Some species seem to be more likely to have them such as budgies and cockatiels. A night fright can look different depending on the bird, but usually consists of the bird flapping, screaming, or thrashing around in their cage after they’ve been asleep. Many times, the bird will be inconsolable for a time before calming down. Research has shown that birds do dream, and so it is possible that they can also experience nightmares. But they can also be spooked by sounds and sights which are even more frightening when it’s dark and they are unable to see. In one article, the author tells of an instance when the headlights from a passing car startled some Bourke’s Parakeets in an aviary, fatally injuring three birds overnight. (Night frights and associated perils 2021) Thankfully, most incidents do not result in death or serious injury, but the risk is still there and it does happen. 

Night frights should be mentioned to your bird’s vet in addition to an owner’s attempts to create a healthy routine around bedtime and remove stressors from the environment. Sometimes, what seems like night frights can actually be an undiagnosed medical issue. Some people have started out thinking that their bird is having night frights but later found out that their bird was having seizures, for example. If your bird is thrashing, flapping, or falling from their perch at night, you should mention it to their vet and make sure there isn’t a medical reason it is happening. 

Creating a Healthy Bedtime Routine

When it comes to bedtime, creating predictability and routine are key in making them feel secure and helping them to transition. Having a regular bedtime is important, but so is creating a predictable routine around that bedtime. For example, I, as the author of this blog post, had two Black-capped conures with nighttime anxiety. I decided to purchase some high quality LED candles (no real candles should ever be used around birds) and began to dim the lights about 30 minutes before bedtime while placing those LED candles by the bird’s cage. This became a signal to the birds that bedtime was approaching, and nighttime routine activities would begin. You can follow up however you choose to begin bedtime routines with more predictable activities. Many people will provide their birds with a pre-bedtime snack. It’s probably best to choose something that isn’t high in calories but is still rewarding to the bird. You can also put on white noise such as ambient water sounds or a fan, etc. Some people will read to their birds, play soft music, or sit next to their bird with the lights dim while they work on something.

The important thing is to choose a positive, relaxing routine for your bird and one that you can stick to nightly. Birds are prey animals, and so predictability and knowing what is coming up next gives them a sense of control and feelings of safety in a world that they are biologically programmed to be wary of in case predators are nearby. There is no one way to create a good bedtime routine for your bird. As mentioned, what matters is that it is good for your bird, your family, and it is something you can stick to regularly. It might not fix every nighttime issue, but it can make a huge difference. It might take some time for your bird to recognize that it is the new normal, but it’s worth the wait. 

References:

Luescher, A. (2008). Manual of parrot behavior. John Wiley & Sons.

Night frights and associated perils. Northern Parrots. (2021).