This is a sharp, flicking movement of one or both wings and is usually indicative of annoyance or displeasure. In this case, holding the bird aloft on your hand and slowly dropping your hand a few inches will encourage the bird to flap its wings, and will assist in realigning the feather. Quivering wings usually indicate fear, nervousness, uncertainty, or distrust. Birds displaying this behavior should be spoken to softly with a reassuring tone of voice before attempting to initiate contact. A quivering of the entire body, and especially the abdomen where you can see the abdominal feathers shaking, is usually a normal attempt to adjust to a marked change in the temperature of the environment.
Wing Drumming Wing drumming is wonderful exercise for birds.
This activity is often observed when birds are released from their cages after a long period of confinement, or in the morning when first taken out of the cage. Often they will stand on the top of the cage at the front edge and drum their wings, sometimes so strongly that they elevate themselves a few inches or even take flight. In some species wing drumming is also a warning that the bird is protecting its territory. This behavior is characterized by a ruffling of the head feathers, fanning of the tail, wings extended in full display and a very distinct strutting walk. It is easily identifiable in Amazons and Cockatoos, and is sometimes accompanied by dilation of the pupils, head bobbing, and loud vocalizations.