happy meaning cheerful, satisfied, or contented and can they tell if you are? We often use the words my bird is happy, but what behaviors do you observe when determining that?

Ruby nestles up against me and does this little thing with her beak or if we are doing something fun, she shakes her tail.

My birds dance, and laugh, and whistle. Vocalization is important even if its screaming. IMO a quiet bird is cause for some concern. Its also a look in their eyes, and expression on their face. I know my birds.

It is amazing how we can tell when they are contented by the pitch and tone of their squawk, words and their posture also. You are right, Leigh, even the look in their eyes. Then there are the words "I like that!" which a no brainer.

Ollie's body language is pretty easy to read. When she's really happy/excited she talks in a really loud, high voice or makes high pitched noises. She also does her "shake-shake" over and over when she's excited. When she's content/satisfied she sits with one leg up, feathers poofed, and grinds her beak.

Winkie is actually quiet a lot. When he's happy & content he fluffs his feathers, grinds his beak, "talks" to himself or swings with all his might. When he's excited he chirps loudly until someone talks to him. If he's mad he fluffs, quivers his wings & makes a constant chipping/chirpy noise until whatever it was is thoroughly gone. (Look up p'let tantrums on Youtube.)

I know my birds, it is easy to tell most of the time what they feeling.

Ryan sings, dances, whistles and says HELLO 10,000 times. He has also started mimicking my laugh, which I'm finding a little spooky!

Just wait until he picks up more than one laugh! My Bacca laughs in either my laugh or my mom's, and they sound just like our laughs. She's very good at sounding like both of us, depending on what she's doing.

Bacca's an easy bird to read since she's a YNA, at least for me. She talks and mumbles a lot when she's comfortable and cozy. And she really uses her lungs when she's in a playful, let's party!, mood. She's got so many moods it's not even funny, and most of them are pretty easy to spot.