FINCHforum

My male shafttail will often twist his neck around so that his head is facing backwards and looking up. He doesn’t keep his head fixed in that position he just dose it real quick. I have read a few articles (I think someone may have posted on here before) about a genetic disorder that causes finches to twist there head backwards. Is my shafttails behavior normal or is it some sort of disorder? I have never seen my hen do this that is why I am a little concerned. Maybe I am just being a little bit paranoid.

I believe you are referring to a post a short time back where someone's bird apparently was suffering from "twirling". Here's a link that explains the conditon.

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/features_twirling.mgi

If it's normal behavior, I've never noticed my male shaft-tail doing it.

Yeah that is the article I was looking at. He doesn’t go into spasms like the article talks about and he doesn’t loose his balance at all when he twists his head. He just dose it real quick when he lands on a perch or is looking around he twists his head sometimes as if to see what is above him. Do you think it would be safe to assume it is just natural behavior?

If he is acting normal otherwise, then I wouldn't worry about it. Could be just a quirk of his. I will watch my Shaft-tail more closely to see if I can catch him doing it to. He does do a funny little hop and chirp when he lands on a perch though. I don't know what that is all about but he does it nearly everytime.

How big is their cage? I've read where too small causes some 'twirling' type behavior that went away for one of my male owls when he moved out of the tiny cage.

Hi Bluefinch,

I think Sally is probably right. Birds kept in a very small cage can show this behaviour, also when they are in a big one now.
I have seen this a lot with Japanese Nightinggales, and my singer shows it too. I would say nothing to worry about.

The cage he is in is 32"L X 24"W X 26"H so he dose have plenty of room to move. He was in a cage that was a few inches smaller then that for a bit. I guess I just wory to much when it comes to my birds. I wanted to get others opinions about whether or not it was something I should be concerned about. Thanks for the help.

That cage is plenty big enough.

My gf's male gould does it, but he has always done it and he is 100% fine otherwise. Just a quick little peak up and back.

Thanks vetbridge, I saw my hen do the same thing the other day.