wing twitching

[symbro]

i cant help but to study pigeon behavoir.  This wing twitching is really interesting.  i first knoticed it with bonded pairs.  usually, but not always,  the cock dances around his hen while she squats and twitches her wing.

 

however i have also have a bird that i am taking care of.  its wattle is still not white and its tenth flight has almost reached its full length.  when i reach in to grab him to feed he bites and wing slaps me.  but, now here it is, when i stand above the carrier which is at waist hieght, the baby twitches his wing.

 

if the baby didnt peck and wing slap me i would take the wing twitching as a sign of him respecting my dominance.

 

any ideas?

[Guest shadow]

I have noticed wing twitching in my wwhen they are coming on form

 

quality not quantity

[Guest]

Bit confused as to what is being described, but reckon they are 'fight or flight' behaviours.  

 

If the wing is actually moving, reckon its a warning for an intruder - bit like showing a clenched fist - (fight) routine "come any closer and you'll be sorry!"  ;D

 

But if its more like a shiver, then its a submissive gesture to a more dominant pigeon nearby, and the start of the (flight) 'run away'  routine... if the dominant bird comes closer, this one will retreat.

 

 

[Guest slugmonkey]

I have noticed this twitching also and have always been told as Shadow said it is a sign of form

[Guest]

I have a Staf Van Reet Cock, for those of you who know our Web Page F8 Crusader, who is twitching constantly around the top of his folded wing.  The guy who imported the Van Reets into America examined the bird on a visit to the loft and told us this was a sign of vitality related to the flow of blood.

[Chatrace]

We feel it is a sign they are ready to rock and roll, it's there motor Idleing :-)

Pool it a bit more than normal and if you see the the bubble on the breast bone and the twitching double the pool .

[carl]

I have noticed when they are sitting nice and tight if you get a bit close there wings start to tritch before they lash out.Like bruno said a warning to the intruder.

[symbro]

what about the bonded pairs.  when they twitch their wings around eachother

[Guest]

Agree, Symbro, this is yet another behaviour, because in addition to the twitching wing there's a lot of vocal stuff going on too, and a bit of what would be termed 'flight' in another setting - 'hiding' - with one bird buried underneath the other.

 

On the subject of form 'shiver'. Suggest that this is whole body shiver; not just the wings. Wouldn't begin to guess what causes it though.

[jimmy white]

when the bird is wing twitching , its telling you something

[Guest speckled]

when his body qwivers, thats a diffrent mater,twitching is  a sign of   excitment, happy contented birds. shiver, is a sign of nervousness, dont fell safe in the suroundings. well thats my opion. Speckled

[Guest]

Agree with what you say, Speckled about 'body shiver' being a sign of nerves.  

 

But isn't this part of the same 'nervous energy' that fanciers say is down to form?