My cockatiels jump when I whistle to them. Why?

Question

I have gotten two male tiels about two weeks ago. They are both handfed and slightly tamed. The day I picked them up, they would whistle the same tune. I started teaching them the Kill Bill whistle and they would stop and look at me. One would always lift his wings a little bit and leap. I don't know if it is because they are responding to the song or they just don't like it. Help?

Answer 1

They probably don't like the song.  Pick another song and see if they like it.

I hope I helped!

Answer 2

birds use a LOT of body language. Making yourself larger is a sign of insecurity. Try the whistle when you FEED them, try it from the other room. Birds have noisy time at dusk and dawn, so you could join them for their dawn chorus, try to be less body-facing-them, and more...flirty...shy...no direct-facing eye contact; and keep your hands down- it's an aggressive signal in birds. One good way to tell excitement in birds is their eyes dilate & pin (pupils get tiny) when they're very excited.

Answer 3

It may kind of startle the bird, but that doesn't mean you should stop. They should get used to it pretty quickly. Before you know it they'll probably be whistling parts of it back to you.

Answer 4

They are dancing.  

If you keep whistling to them they will not learn to speak English.  Whistling is THEIR first language.  Teach them English like Hello!

Two birds will be bonded to each other and not you.  If they share a cage you are the 3rd person OUT.  If you want to tame them, they will need their own cages.