--Andrew Rosenberg, asr29@cornell.edu

As tempting as it is to believe our birds are boogeying down to the Counting Crows because they like the music, it's more likely the sound level and the activity of people or other birds in the room is what stimulates a parrot to "dance." In fact, many parrots perform their most exotic moves to the beat of the vacuum cleaner or washing machine.

I don't know of any documented research or articles on this dancing behavior, which is often accompanied by loud vocalizations. However, I do know that it looks and sounds a lot like what many wild parrots do.

I've seen sulphur-crested cockatoos, white-tailed black cockatoos, and rainbow lorikeets in Australia swaying, bobbing and screaming at the top of their lungs both morning and evening. I've also seen hyacinth macaws in Brazil, green-winged macaws in Peru, and yellow-nape Amazons in Guatemala all put on loud, raucous and animated displays that resemble what many people might call "dancing." Sometimes, birds mimick the actions of other birds - one bird bobs up and down and soon its mate begins bobbing up and down, too.

So what does it mean? "Dancing" seems to be either a form of play or bonding display. Play behavior, especially in young animals, is very important to the development of skills and coordination. However, older birds do it, too. I’ve seen adults of many species of wild parrots "dance" and scream playfully. In this case, it’s probably somehow important to strengthening the bond between birds.

In fact, I've never seen a wild parrot dancing when it was not in a loud group of fellow psittacines, such as at a communal roost, clay lick or feeding site. That's probably because parrots feel secure in those places, where the old catchphrase "safety in numbers" not only means protection from enemies but an irresistible opportunity to party, too, birdie style.

This brings us back to our sometimes-loud households, where music and roaring appliances can set our birds to bopping. If it's loud enough, it probably sounds something like a boisterous roost tree to your bird. And if you’re there to bob to the beat, too, the merrier the party.

World-renowned animal trainer Steve Martin established one of the first free-flight bird shows in the country at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in 1976. His international consulting company, Natural Encounters, Inc., now helps zoos all over the world train all types of animals using positive reinforcement.

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