10 Fun Tricks to Teach Your Parrot: From Wave to Basketball

Unleash Your Parrot's Inner Performer: Building Bonds Through Fun Tricks

Teaching your parrot tricks isn't just about showing off (though your friends will definitely be impressed!). It's one of the most rewarding ways to bond with your feathered companion while providing essential mental stimulation. In our experience boarding over 1,000 birds at BST, we've seen how trick training transforms both birds and their relationships with their humans.

The good news is that almost every parrot can learn tricks, regardless of age or species. Some birds are natural performers who seem to live for the applause, while others prefer quieter achievements. Either way, the journey of learning together strengthens your bond and keeps that brilliant parrot brain engaged.

Here's the thing about trick training: it's all about patience, consistency, and making it fun. Your bird should always want to participate, never feel pressured. Let's dive into ten fantastic tricks that will have your parrot showing off their skills in no time.

1. Wave Hello

Difficulty: ⭐ (Beginner)
Training Method: Capturing/Luring
Time to Learn: 1-2 weeks
Species That Excel: All species, especially cockatiels and conures

The wave is the perfect starter trick because most parrots naturally lift their feet. You'll simply capture this natural behavior and put it on cue.

How to teach it:

• Wait for your bird to naturally lift a foot
• The moment they do, say "wave" and immediately reward
• Once they're lifting their foot consistently to the cue, add a gentle up-and-down motion with your own hand
• Practice daily in short 5-minute sessions

Pro Tip: If your bird is reluctant to lift their foot, try holding a treat slightly out of reach to one side. They'll often lift the opposite foot for balance.

2. Turn Around (Spin)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐ (Easy-Medium)
Training Method: Luring
Time to Learn: 2-3 weeks
Species That Excel: Conures, caiques, and smaller parrots

This crowd-pleaser looks impressive but is surprisingly straightforward to teach. It's all about following the treat!

How to teach it:

• Hold a treat close to your bird's beak
• Slowly move the treat in a circle around their head
• As they follow the treat, say "turn around"
• Complete the full circle and reward immediately
• Gradually make the luring motion smaller until just your finger guides them

Training tip: Some birds prefer clockwise, others counterclockwise. Let your bird show you their preference and work with it.

3. Eagle (Wings Spread)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐ (Easy-Medium)
Training Method: Capturing
Time to Learn: 2-4 weeks
Species That Excel: Larger parrots (macaws, cockatoos, African greys)

The eagle pose showcases your bird's magnificent wingspan and is particularly stunning with larger species.

How to teach it:

• Watch for natural wing-stretching behaviors
• The moment both wings extend, say "eagle" and reward
• If your bird doesn't stretch often, try gently encouraging it after they've been sitting for a while
• Some birds will hold the pose longer if you count "one... two... three... good eagle!"

Important: Never force or manipulate your bird's wings. This trick relies entirely on capturing natural behavior.

4. Shake Hands

Difficulty: ⭐⭐ (Easy-Medium)
Training Method: Shaping
Time to Learn: 2-3 weeks
Species That Excel: African greys, amazons, and cockatoos

This charming trick builds on your bird's natural tendency to explore with their feet.

How to teach it:

• Start by offering your finger near their foot
• When they touch your finger with their foot, mark and reward
• Gradually shape this into holding your finger
• Add the cue "shake hands" once they're consistently grasping
• For the full effect, gently move their foot up and down in a handshake motion

5. Ring a Bell

Difficulty: ⭐⭐ (Easy-Medium)
Training Method: Luring/Shaping
Time to Learn: 1-2 weeks
Species That Excel: All species, particularly cockatiels and budgies

Most parrots are naturally drawn to bells, making this an easy and satisfying trick to master.

How to teach it:

• Start with a bell your bird can easily manipulate
• Hold the bell near your bird and encourage interaction
• The moment they touch it with their beak, mark and reward
• Once they're consistently touching it, only reward when it actually rings
• Add the cue "ring the bell" when they're reliably making it chime

6. Fetch

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ (Medium)
Training Method: Shaping
Time to Learn: 3-6 weeks
Species That Excel: African greys, macaws, and amazons

Yes, parrots can fetch! This impressive trick requires breaking down the behavior into manageable steps.

How to teach it:

• Start with a small, lightweight object your bird likes
• Reward them for picking it up
• Once they're consistently picking it up, only reward when they take a step toward you
• Gradually increase the distance they need to carry it
• Finally, only reward when they drop it near you or in your hand

Pro Tip: Choose an object that's easy for your bird to pick up but not so interesting that they want to destroy it instead of returning it.

7. Put Objects in a Container

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ (Medium)
Training Method: Shaping
Time to Learn: 4-6 weeks
Species That Excel: African greys, cockatoos, and larger amazons

This trick showcases your bird's problem-solving abilities and can be incredibly useful for cleanup time!

How to teach it:

• Start with a wide, shallow container and large, easy-to-grasp objects
• Reward your bird for picking up the object
• Next, only reward when they move toward the container
• Gradually shape the behavior until they drop the object into the container
• Practice with different objects and containers to generalize the behavior

8. Color Sorting

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Advanced)
Training Method: Shaping/Discrimination Training
Time to Learn: 6-12 weeks
Species That Excel: African greys, macaws, and amazons

This impressive cognitive trick demonstrates your bird's intelligence and ability to categorize.

How to teach it:

• Start with two very different colors (like red and blue)
• Use identical objects in each color
• Teach your bird to put red objects in one container and blue in another
• Start with just one color at a time
• Once mastered, add the second color
• Gradually add more colors as your bird succeeds

Warning: This is genuinely challenging and requires patience. Some birds may take months to master color sorting, and that's perfectly normal.

9. Skateboard/Scooter

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Advanced)
Training Method: Shaping
Time to Learn: 8-12 weeks
Species That Excel: Conures, caiques, and smaller parrots

The skateboard trick is pure entertainment and showcases your bird's balance and coordination.

How to teach it:

• Start with a stable platform (remove wheels initially)
• Reward your bird for stepping onto it
• Once comfortable, add wheels but hold the skateboard steady
• Gradually allow more movement
• Eventually, your bird will push off with one foot while riding
• Always ensure the skateboard is appropriate size and safe for your bird

10. Basketball (Ball in Hoop)

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Expert)
Training Method: Chaining behaviors
Time to Learn: 10-16 weeks
Species That Excel: African greys, macaws, and cockatoos

The ultimate showstopper! This trick combines multiple skills: picking up, aiming, and releasing.

How to teach it:

• Start with a large hoop and small ball
• First, teach your bird to pick up the ball
• Next, teach them to drop it in a container (use the container trick)
• Gradually raise the container until it's at hoop height
• Replace the container with the basketball hoop
• Practice, practice, practice!

Pro Tip: Start with the hoop very low and gradually increase the height as your bird's accuracy improves.

Making Training Successful: Key Tips

Keep sessions short: 5-10 minutes maximum. Birds have short attention spans, and you want to end on a positive note.

Use high-value rewards: Find what your bird absolutely loves – whether it's a specific treat, head scratches, or verbal praise.

Be consistent: Use the same cue words and hand signals every time.

Train when your bird is alert and hungry: Not starving, but interested in working for rewards.

Stay positive: Never punish mistakes. Simply don't reward and try again.

Final Thoughts

Remember, every bird learns at their own pace. Some will master tricks quickly, while others need more time to build confidence. The joy is in the journey together, not just the destination. We've seen birds at BST who took months to learn their first trick but then picked up subsequent ones much faster.

The most important thing is that both you and your bird are having fun. If either of you gets frustrated, take a break and come back to it later. These tricks should strengthen your bond and provide mental enrichment – never become a source of stress.

Your parrot's willingness to learn and perform these tricks is a beautiful testament to the trust and relationship you've built together. So grab some treats, set aside some time, and get ready to be amazed by what your feathered friend can accomplish!