Dear Ones,

At timestamp 0:36, a Small Parrot puffs up feathers, hops forward, and scares much huger Cockatoo …

Video: “Cute Parrot Daily Life,”  @Cutecuterose, 10 July 2026 … https://www.youtube.com/shorts/clKQtKiOfAA ..

This agonistic (fighting) behavior of the Small Parrot starts with a standoff. That is when the two birds face each other intently.

Next the Small Parrot puffs up its wings; this is termed posturing.

Next the Small Parrot feints forward; this is termed a bluff charge.

I note that agonistic displays (also termed threat displays) are not specific to birds. Dogs, for instance, exhibit agonistic displays towards bears and mountain lions …

Video: “German Shepherd FIGHTS OFF Charging Bear!” by @GuardDogsyt, 20 February 2026 … https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D52a3w7u6cQ ..

Video: “German saves owner from a mountain lion!” by @GermanShepherdsForever … https://www.youtube.com/shorts/EVgCN-H5xto ..

I feel it likely that agonistic behaviors are instinctive rituals that prevent predator attacks without loss of life.  We humans can imitate these ritual or instinctive behaviors when facing large predators. It is possible the ingrained reactions of the large predators may be to stop charging or to run away. That would give us time to make a getaway.

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Io lux et pax nobiscum.
Joy, light and peace be with us!
Alice B. Clagett

Written and published on 6 September 2026

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0). Attribution: By Alice B. Clagett.
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birds, parrots, cockatoos, interspecies communication, fighting, threat display, agonistic display, threat responses, fight or flight response, bears, mountain lions, dogs,