If you’re a parakeet owner, you’re likely familiar with the shrill morning calls of your feathery friends. As the sun comes up, parakeets kick their vocalizations into high gear with loud squawks, chirps and screeches. But why are parakeets so noisy first thing in the morning?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the reasons behind your parakeets’ morning melodies and provide tips for curbing early bird chatter.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Parakeets are naturally most active and vocal in the morning and evening hours. Their morning vocalizations are a social behavior related to flock communication and stimulation.
Parakeets are Diurnal Birds
Parakeets, like most birds, are most active during the daylight hours when the sun is up. This is because they have internal body clocks (known as circadian rhythms) that are tuned to be awake and alert during the mornings and evenings.
Here’s some more detail on why these colorful little birds are true “early birds.”
Parakeets are most active during daylight hours
In the wild, parakeets are found in areas like Australia and South America where food sources like seeds, fruits, and nectar are more readily available during the day. Being active during the daylight hours allows them to easily spot food and watch out for predators.
Their vision is specially adapted for seeing colors and details in bright light. Being awake and foraging in the day also allows parakeets to take advantage of the warmer temperatures at those times.
Parakeets will become active at first light, leaving their nests and taking to the skies to begin searching for their breakfast. Their activity peaks in the morning and evening hours. Throughout the midday when the sun is at its highest, parakeets will rest to conserve energy.
Come nightfall when light starts to fade, they return to their nests to sleep.
Their body clocks are tuned to mornings and evenings
The internal circadian rhythms that control parakeets’ sleep-wake cycles cause them to be most alert during the mornings and evenings. Their hormone production, metabolism, and other bodily functions are working at peak performance levels at those times of day to support wakeful activity.
When the sun begins rising in the morning, special photoreceptors in parakeets’ brains detect the increasing light. This triggers their brains to inhibit the production of melatonin, a hormone that induces sleepiness.
The decrease in melatonin leads to an increase in corticosterone and other hormones that boost energy, activity, and alertness. That’s why your parakeets become wide awake and raring to go at dawn.
In the evening, as light fades, melatonin levels begin rising again – initiating the parakeets’ pre-sleep mode. Their corticosterone levels also start dropping. This combination readies their bodies for rest. By nighttime when it’s dark, parakeets become sleepy as melatonin reaches its highest point.
Their circadian rhythms sync this natural sleep-wake cycle with daylight hours for survival in the wild.
Morning Singing is a Social Behavior
Loud calls help parakeets reconnect after sleep
After several hours of slumber, parakeets awaken ready to reunite and interact with their flock. They chorus loudly at dawn, a behavior known as “dawn singing,” to locate one another and reestablish bonds.
Their piercing calls, tweets, and screams may sound unpleasantly noisy to human ears, but for parakeets these vocalizations are an essential means of communication.
Research by avian scientists has shown that parakeets sing first thing in the morning because their vision is weakest upon waking. Loud vocalizations thus enable them to find each other amid morning darkness and grogginess.
Once visually reunited, they quiet down and focus on preening feathers, stretching wings, and foraging for a morning meal.
Vocalizations stimulate and bond the flock
Parakeets are highly social and cooperative birds. Several studies, like one from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in 2020, reveal that all members of a parakeet flock contribute to dawn singing. Calls begin with a single bird, quickly joined by the others in a series never-ending vocal exchanges across aviaries and distances.
This vibrant morning chorus serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it excites and stimulates the flock, preparing them for an active day. Chatter also enables pairs and families within the larger community to locate each other and stick together.
Additionally, their combined singing strengthens social connections and reaffirms flock loyalty after the isolating effects of nighttime sleep.
Songs assert dominance and defend territory
As daylight emerges, parakeet singing acquires aggressive overtones. Males in particular bellow louder songs as they seek to assert dominance over their space and resources. Their fierce voices not onlywarn rival males but also galvanize the group, soliciting their support in defending territory.
Studies of parakeet song structure reveal striking complexity capable of communicating different types of information. Discrete songs convey specific messages territorial threats, breeding availability, flock movement, etc. Shared group singing registers unity against intruders.
Diverse voice frequencies allow individual identification even amid a collective chorus.
Providing Proper Day/Night Cycles
Ensure at least 10 hours of darkness/sleep
In the wild, parakeets maintain their body clocks by being active during the day and sleeping at night. It’s vital that our pet parakeets get a similar routine to stay happy and healthy. Most experts recommend giving parakeets at least 10 hours of full darkness each night to allow adequate sleep (1).
In the wild, parakeets often sleep for up to 12 hours straight! Without enough sleep, they won’t have the energy to be playful and social.
If your parakeets have daylight lamps or windows providing light in their sleeping area, invest in a good cover to block it out. Simply turning off the lights is often not enough due to ambient light. Alternatively, move their cage to a completely dark room each evening.
Just remember to uncover them by morning so they wake gently with daylight.
Gradually change light conditions
When managing day/night cycles for parakeets, we must make light changes gradually. Exposure to sudden light or darkness is stressful for them and may negatively impact their intricate body clocks. For example, don’t just switch on dazzling ceiling lights first thing!
Instead, allow natural light to gently fill the room over 30-60 minutes as dawn brightens.
In the evenings, avoid having light sources instantly clicking off. Dim lamps slowly over the course of around an hour before switching them off completely. Closing heavy curtains or blinds promptly can also be abrupt.
If using blackout blinds that shutter down rapidly, do so around 10 minutes after other lights have gone out.
Avoid artificial light pollution
We must take care not to provide too much artificial light during their sleeping phase. Exposure to light during normal darkness hours plays havoc with parakeet cycles and behavior. Experts have found that low levels of artificial light at night (for example, from street lamps) can make parakeets more restless and loud in the mornings (2).
This phenomenon is called “artificial light pollution”.
To avoid this, be vigilant about light seeping into the parakeet sleeping area at night. Make sure there are no bright security or porch lights beaming through nearby windows. Close curtains/blinds fully and check for gaps. Place cages away from lamps, TVs or wifi router lights left on overnight.
Use a tight cover over the enclosure if needed.
Keeping Parakeets Occupied
Provide plenty of toys
Parakeets are intelligent, active birds that need mental stimulation to stay happy and healthy. Providing your parakeets with plenty of toys is an excellent way to keep them engaged and prevent boredom. Try offering toys that allow them to forage, shred, chew, climb and play.
Some great options include:
Aim to provide at least 3-5 toys per parakeet and rotate the options every few days to keep things exciting. Having a variety of textures, colors and challenges will keep them active and prevent repetitive screaming simply due to boredom. Just be sure any toys are parakeet-safe to avoid injury.
Rotate available toys weekly
While having plenty of toys available is important, it’s equally essential to rotate the options on a regular basis. Parakeets are incredibly smart, so they can easily get bored of the same toys day after day.
Aim to swap out at least a few toys every week to present them with new challenges and mental stimulation. This keeps things fresh and prevents them from losing interest.
When rotating toys, be sure to maintain a variety of types. For example, don’t remove all foraging toys at once. Offer a mix of novel items alongside some familiar favorites. Rotation prevents boredom while a touch of consistency provides comfort.
An ideal schedule is to have a weekly “toy changeover” where 1-3 toys are swapped out.
Ensure their environment is sufficiently stimulating
In addition to rotating toys, it’s important to provide plenty of stimulation within your parakeets’ environment. A bare cage with nothing but food, water and perches simply won’t cut it. Targeted enrichment is key!
Make sure their cage is adequately sized – bigger is always better. Include multiple perches of varying widths, materials and angles to keep their feet active. Strategically place toys, swings and mirrors throughout the space.
Consider adding branches or hanging leafy greens they can play on and shred. Provide safe wood pieces or cuttlebone for them to chew on as well.
You can also incorporate foraging opportunities by hiding treats in cardboard tubes, wicker balls or cardboard boxes with holes. Change up cage accessories frequently to present new, intriguing environments for them to explore and interact with.
Ensuring their home has diverse enrichment is an excellent way to keep parakeets happily occupied!
Trying Noise Reduction Strategies
Insulate windows/walls near birdcage
One of the best ways to reduce noise from chatterbox parakeets in the early hours is to insulate any windows or walls near their cage. This buffers and muffles the high-pitched squawks so they don’t reverberate throughout your home.
Options like acoustic panels, mass loaded vinyl, or soundproof drywall are great for sound dampening. Installing thicker curtains also helps block noise escaping through glass.
Place cage in quietest room
Pay attention to which room seems most soundproof in your home, then situate your parakeet cage there. Interior rooms with no windows, like a hallway, bathroom or closet tend to block noise the best. You can also place their cage in a room far from bedrooms, so early morning vocalizations don’t disrupt your sleep as much.
Cover cage partially with blanket
Drape a thick blanket over just one side of your parakeet cage when it’s time to sleep. This simulates the darkness and coziness for nighttime so they feel it’s time to settle down. The blanket also muffles sound from escaping that side of the cage while still allowing ventilation.
Just be sure to use bird-safe materials only.
Use white noise machine to mask sounds
White noise machines produce a consistent ambient sound that helps drown out annoying noises. Place one near your parakeet cage and turn it on low overnight. Popular options like Marpac Dohm sound conditioners generate soothing tones that overpower chirps and squawks.
Your birds make their usual morning racket, but the white noise disguises it throughout the house.
With parakeets, early birds do get the worms! Implementing some of these handy noise reduction techniques allows everybody to peacefully coexist while your feathered friends communicate daybreak arrivals.
Conclusion
In summary, loud parakeet calls first thing in the morning are a natural result of their innate biological rhythms and flock social behaviors. While you may not be able to eliminate the chatter completely, you can take steps to curb excess noise by providing proper sleep conditions, keeping their environment engaging, and using noise reduction strategies.
With some adjustments, you and your parakeets can harmoniously greet each new day.
