Do Parrots Cry? + Do Parrots Shed Tears?

Humans are not the only ones who demonstrate a variety of emotions. Parrots experience it too and display a variety of reactions in a particular situation.

Parrots are smart, friendly, and intelligent and have the emotional intellect to comprehend the environment around and react.

Now that you know that parrots can emote happiness or grief. So, do you think parrots can cry?

The crying of parrots is different. Though they have tear ducts, parrots do not shed tears. Parrots display their grief by vocalizing, the sound of which is similar to that of a cry. Instead of crying, parrots can do feather plucking or cry out loud on the loss of its chick or mate.

Birds do not cry and shed tears like humans. Neither can they communicate with us directly about their state of mind. Their actions speak for their frame of mind.

Though sometimes their actions are ambiguous, however, as an observant bird lover, you can still understand their plight.

So, let’s now try to understand the various scenarios when a parrot can feel grief.

Why Do Parrots Cry?

Parrots, like most birds, emote through vocalizing. They cannot speak and pour their heart out through words. We can never understand the complex nature of how a parrot thinks or feels.

Therefore, it is all the more important to keep a close eye on your parrot’s behavior.

A parrot can cry due to the following reasons:

Parrot Cry in Fear

Parrots cry out due to fear. They can be fearful by the mere sight of a large object or a hawk seen outside the window.

Loud noise such as loudspeakers, police, or ambulance siren may fear your parrot.

Besides, night frights and sudden movements can also worry parrots.

Another reason for your parrot to fear is a change in the environment. If a parrot gets adjusted to the décor of a particular room and you shift your parrot to another room, it may fear him.

Your parrot can presume the large wire hanging around like some natural predator looming over his head. Your parrot, in such cases, may cry out of fear.

Parrots Cry in Sorrow

Sorrow in itself is a complex feeling. Hence, every living creature reacts differently. Parrots also grieve and act in different ways when in distress.

Parrots can connect and feel close to the people around them. Hence, losing either a mate or its chick makes a parrot feel sorrow.

Parrots show parental care. So, they are very committed to guarding their offspring.

You can hear their pitiful cries in the wild for the loss of their chick. It cries out loud in anticipation that the lost chick will respond to its cries.

Losing a close one is a traumatic experience for a parrot. As parrots are capable of feeling sorrow, the inevitable pain of separation makes the parrot distress.

Parrots are expressive, so any loss will make them scream or cry out.

Left alone for too long

Parrots are sociable and need interaction. In the wild, parrots live in flocks. So, they are always with some companions.

Living in flocks enables the parrot to socialize and has a safe place to nest.

Now, parrots, when kept in captivity, will look upon you as their flock. They need social interaction and attention.

If you leave the parrot alone for too long without any interaction, it will cry out for you.

Parrots need a stimulating environment around them. If there is no one around, they use vocalization as a means to communicate. Hence, you will often find your parrot crying out loud for your attention.

Parrots Cry in Pain

An injured parrot will cry out or scream in pain. If your parrot has any injury, it will scream in between when the pain is unbearable and seek your attention.

The crying out can go for a few days or weeks till the pain subsides or the injury is healed.

Any sudden crying out or screaming of your parrot should not be avoided, especially when you have a wounded parrot.

Alright! That was about the adult parrots in the wild or in captivity.

So, do baby parrots have any different reason for crying out? Let’s find out that as well.

Do Baby Parrots Cry?

Baby parrots usually cry out for food. In the wild, the crying is primarily just an encouragement to the parent for more food. Feeding the chicks once is not enough in the earlier stage.

So, the parent parrots leave their nest most of the time foraging for food to feed their young ones. This continues until the chicks become independent and fly on its own. The chicks will then leave the nest and feed themselves.

Similarly, if you have a baby parrot in captivity, you can listen to its cries every now and then. You have to then feed your parrot, and it will be quiet for some time until the next feeding.

Interesting Further Reading:

Behavior Of Parrots While Crying?

Parrots are intelligent, playful, and full of energy. Seldom will you see a parrot sitting alone and in his own world. So, if you observe your parrot not interacting much as usual, it is probably in distress.

Something is bothering your parrot, and you need to notice its behavior closely to help your pet come out of distress.

You will find your parrot to be dull and has a fluffed feather. It may lose its appetite to eat, may do feather plucking, toe-tapping, or head swinging. Sometimes, your parrot may even display aggression.

If your parrot’s behavior continues to be abnormal for some days, you should immediately consult an avian vet and take his opinion and medication, if needed.

Recommended Further Reading:

Conclusion

Parrots are vocal. They cry out loud or scream when in fear, ill or injured, in sorrow or left alone for too long. You may not see your parrot shedding tears and cry.

However, their loud noise is an indication that your parrot is crying and needs your attention.