Nymphs are undoubtedly one of the most beloved and popular parrot species. These birds are excellent pets for many reasons, their affectionate nature, elegance and intelligence. It is not surprising, therefore, that they have won the hearts of those owners who have decided to welcome this bird into their homes.
Now, living with a nymph implies knowing very well what her care and nature are. For this reason, if you have or have made the choice to welcome one of these birds at home, keep reading this article on our site where we explain the behavior of the nymphsso you can understand and offer everything your little friend needs.
Nymph characteristics
Nymphs, also called carolinas, are birds belonging to the cockatoo family from Australia. These birds have a life expectancy of between 15 and even 18 years if cared for properly and are characterized by an approximate size between 25 and 33 cm in length (including its long and thin tail), have a showy crest, long and pointed wings, as well as a hooked beak which it uses to climb on vertical surfaces, such as logs or the bars of his cage.
Nymphs are often known for having yellow and gray plumage, sometimes with orange cheeks, and have different patterns depending on the of whether the individual is female or male, a phenomenon known as sexual dimorphism, the males being normally more showy than their female companions. In addition, through the breeding of this species there are now nymphs with varied color patterns, either completely yellow, spotted, and even white.
What are the nymphs like? - Character
These birds can become very affectionate pets if they are cared for with care and according to their needs. Well, nymphs are very sociable and intelligent animals and, for this reason, they need attention and feel accompanied by their human guardian. They are definitely not made to be sad, alone and locked in a cage all day.
These animals create a very strong bond of attachment between them, for this reason it is recommended to have them in pairs Even so, they form this attachment with their owner, as it represents their figure of comfort and security, especially if it has been raised since she was a child giving her porridge. Therefore, it is not strange that your carolina is affectionate with you and follows you everywhereLikewise, if she gets upset for some reason, like a loud noise, she'll calm down easily if you're by her side and talk calmly to her.
Finally, nymphs are also very curious about their surroundings and playful, they love to interact with all kinds of elements and toys that we offer them, as well as love to play with water. For all these reasons, nymphs are considered one of the best birds to have at home.
How do nymphs communicate?
When your nymph wants to show her emotions, they will do it in the following way:
- Joy: When a nymph is happy, she holds her crest up and will likely start flapping her wings, often clinging to some hanger or bar, waving them wildly as if preparing to take off. This behavior is also usually performed for exercise and as part of the courtship ritual in males.
- Enfado: if when you caress your nymph it starts to bite (which are not painful), it is probably telling you that she is upset because she didn't like where you touched her or she prefers to be calm at that moment.
- Tranquility: when she is relaxed, you will see how her crest falls back. She can also perform stretches with her wings (you'll see her open them and keep them fully extended) and she might even drop her eyelids. If she also bends down and puts her head inside her plumage, she will probably start to fall asleep.
- Watchful: When your nymph is waiting for something, like a sound or a treat, she will keep her eyes waiting for that element and will raise the crest of it.
- Altered/Scared: When a carolina feels threatened, she starts fluttering around trying to flee and starts screaming.
- Look for your caresses: It is common to see how nymphs who have been raised since childhood and are used to human contact, go down and support his head in the hand of his caregiver, asking for caresses.
- He wants you to feed him: If your nymph is still young and wants to ask you for food, she will start bobbing her head up and down, while making a long beep on demand.
Language of the Nymphs
Nymphs, being parrots, base much of their communication on sound language These sounds have multiple purposes and to a large extent they are the product of learning, especially if they have been raised since childhood. Therefore, the sounds they emit adapt to different situations, whether to call their caregiver, ask for food, because they feel threatened… Also, as we will see Later, repetitive and constant sounds can also be the result of stress. There is therefore a wide range of sounds that these birds can make, such as:
- Screams.
- Whistles.
- To chat.
- Growls.
It is also known that nymphs, like many parrots, can imitate us, learning words if they are taught, like this like saying whole sentences or singing songs. If, for example, when you feed him you say "food", he could understand what this word refers to and say it every time he is hungry. Now, many times they can surprise us by learning words that we would never expect.
Daily Nymph Behavior
If you have a nymph, it is likely that you will see this type of behavior in her every day:
- Grooming: hygiene is a very important habit for many birds, for this reason you will see how your nymph will clean and comb its feathers with the peak of it often. In addition, grooming is also a social behavior, in which these birds clean each other in areas where they cannot reach on their own, such as under the beak or behind the head.
- Hitting objects: When your nymph wants you to pay attention to her, she is she tries to get your attention by hitting objects with her beak. she. In addition, some males also tend to perform this behavior with the intention of showing what their territory is.
- Throwing Objects: Often if your nymph gets frustrated and bored of being locked in her cage, she will start to pick up and throw objects against the bars
- Hang upside down: This surprising behavior, in which your nymph seems to want to imitate a bat by hanging upside down, often It is commonly done by males with the intention of defending their territory.
- Play: as we have mentioned, nymphs are birds that love to interact and browse with all kinds of elements, for this That's why they love to play with the toys you offer them, with the water… So don't expect your nymph to sit in her cage all day, doing nothing!
- Raise One Leg: You will usually see your nymph raise one leg and hide it in its plumage, hovering atop a single leg. This behavior is completely natural, and they usually do it to better maintain their body heat.
Nymph behavior - males and females
As we have mentioned, the nymphs present variations in color depending on the sex, with the females being less conspicuous than the males. But it is also common to distinguish them by their habitual character, since males tend to emit more often sounds like whistle or songs, this fact also makes them more likely to learn words that the females.
Not only that, but males usually perform courtship behaviors when they are with a female during the mating season (influenced by temperature, since the cold has negative repercussions). The mating ritual is usually initiated by him, trying to display himself effusively so that the female will pay attention to him. He often puffs out her chestshows off her striking plumage and dances to impress her; opening its wings and tail, stretching its neck and jumping. In addition, the male often emits melodious songs, which, if beautiful enough, may eventually make the female show interest in him.
Finally, if the female has accepted the male, he will make sure the nest is comfortable enough, which will thoroughly prepare and call the female for mating.
Abnormal behavior of nymphs
We refer to abnormal behavior as those behaviors that reflect stress and pain and, therefore, should not be normal in the daily life of your nymph, as it would mean that either she is not receiving the necessary care, or she is sick and should be taken to the vet quickly.
Generally, if you have observed a abrupt change in your nymph's usual behavior, such as inactivity, stopping eating, moving away of you, stop washing, frequent tremors… These kinds of behaviors are clear signs that something is wrong.
Stress symptoms in nymphs
There are also several behaviors that indicate that your little friend is stressed. Commonly, this state of discomfort usually manifests itself in the form of stereotypies, which are repetitive behaviors with no apparent function that many animals perform when they are captive and in an environment little stimulating. That is, it usually occurs in nymphs which do not have adequate environmental enrichment and feel lonely (either because they do not live with another nymph or because they are not given sufficient attention) and, therefore, cannot interact with different elements in their day-to-day environment. Some examples of this kind of behavior would be:
- Picaje: the nymph could begin to pluck its feathers, in extreme cases causing serious injuries.
- Screams: The nymph begins to scream repetitively and constantly for no apparent reason.
- Wander aimlessly: that is, she can begin to walk a path, going back and forth repetitively without a specific purpose
Finally, apart from observing this kind of behavior when this bird is not feeling well, we will also see a clear change in its state of mind, showing excessively fearful and aggressive, a fact that limits interaction with her, due to the panic she may experience when her caregiver approaches, and bite if cornered.
To take good care of your nymph, we recommend you read this other article on our site on Diseases of the Carolina nymph.
