Barking?

[KateMyshkin]

I’m a new to conures. My little Paco taco makes this noise that I can only describe as barking. I watched a video on YouTube that said the noise means a conure is terrified. I read online about conure noises and saw the duck quacking sound means they are unsure or uneasy but I haven’t found anything about this barking other than the one YouTube video. Paco doesn’t always seem terrified when he makes it but other times he does look scared. Like today he made it after I put new stuff in his cage. He’s been skirting around the new stuff. He is 5 years old and I’m his second owner. He makes the barking noise then yells “stop it” so I thought he was imitating a dog when I first got him and I imagined the people yelling at the dog to stop barking and Paco was just repeating what he heard. But I see now that he is probably scared and they were yelling at HIM to shut up instead of comforting him. so what is this barking noise and what does it mean?!

 

[texsize]

I don't know about barking.
as for new toys let them see it outside of there cage for a few days before introducing it inside the cage.

the cage is his safe zone. something strange suddenly appearing in their safe zone will unsettle most any parrot.

 

[Carl_Power]

My Parrot barks sometimes when he hears the dog over the back but its more like a dog barks when he hears another dog kinda thing. They are just seing who has the biggest (ill say seeds lol) its like a I'm tougher than you thing. Paco has figured out that a dog bark is a scary noise and is just using it as a way to say he doesn't like something. I wouldn't worry too much.

With new toys I just show them affection like I would show my parrot affection, the same way and he's fine after 2 mins and playing with it x

 

[LordTriggs]

little confused as to what you mean by "barking" any chance you could record a video of it to clue us in further?

fear often will illicit the feathers suddenly sticking down making them look very skinny followed by either flying off, a threat display (head low, neck feathers up, mouth open), an alarm call which will be a series of rapid high pitched shrieks or growling/hissing at the offence

 

[clark_conure]

heres the devils advocate post.....he sees you are concerned about his behavior and you comfort him and give him attention...

He MIGHT be doing it because you focus on it....conures are the kings of attention seeking behavior. So....it might be real it might be hes got you all atwitter over something he is trolling you with. Like lord triggs post above look for other things....is he really scared or if you hand him a treat say millet, or whatever is he all of a sudden not afraid at all?

 

[Taprock]

My conure barks and sounds just like the dog. Usually when the dog barks he barks along. For him it isn't a fear thing or even that he is really excited but he is just copying. I wouldn't assume it's fear just from the noise he makes, his body language is a better better way to tell if he is actually afraid.

 

[LordTriggs]

yes all good points. Especially if you go over and give attention whenever he "barks" that may have become his contact call.

Like taprock says a noise isn't always the best way to know what's going on, of course you can tell the difference between a bird squealing in pain and a bird saying hello.

My conure would make the alarm calls that I described above when he was playing and over-excited and when he was shouting at the wild birds outside

 

[KateMyshkin]

I’ll try to catch it on video. My boyfriend says he thinks it sounds like a monkey if that helps describe the sound.
I’ll try giving him a treat next time to see how he responds thanks everyone

 

[clark_conure]

Yeah A conure will sit on a perch and literally shiver....he will squeak and squawk or growl and do anything to convince you he/she is in mortal danger......just to get attention. If he's normally happy go lucky, I'd say he is TROLLING you for attention.