Many birds feed as a courting procedure. Some of our customers take rescue birds, usually parrots, and I hear many stories of their recovery from abuse or neglect. One woman came to me very worried because her rescued African Grey parrot suddenly threw up on her, not once, but repeatedly, whenever she picked him up for a cuddle.

Congratulations, I told her, your bird is in love with you. He's bonded to you and thinks of you as his mate. This is a Good Thing when the bird has been abused and withdrawn.

I think she felt better about it after that.