Why does my bird act scared, spin, and fall when I approach its cage?

It would be best to bring your bird to a local avian veterinarian, especially if he has been ill for a few weeks. it's possible that an underlying illness, neurologic issue, muscular disease, stroke or other problem has occurred that needs to be examined and treated as needed. In some cases birds may not recover fully, and you may need to adjust your bird's environment to help him get around a little easier, such as adding in flat platform perches or changing access to food and water.

Poor Tweety! It doesn’t say what kind of bird this is. But birds can have Frights when something scares them that causes them to do this. Calming and quiet and time will fix this. Cover the cage and turn out the lights and talk quietly to the bird. If the bird has pain somewhere...like a stuck feather, hurt foot, egg binding etc that could also cause them to scream. After a Fright it will take time for the bird to calm down, but if the unusual behavior continues, you should have your bird seen by a vet.

That is very odd behavior. If Salyt is unable to hold her head in the proper position, seems in severe distress, or is otherwise acting ill it would be best to have her examined by a vet in person as she may be injured or ill. It is also possible she was just very excited and flapping around to show her excitement, however she would be able to return her head to normal after and should still be active, eating, drinking, etc. Keeping an eye on her, and if she seems ill or doesn't return to normal, seeking vet care is best.

It's possible something may have startled your bird and is causing the wary behavior you are seeing, however if she is puffed up or refusing to eat/drink then that can indicate a potential illness. If you see other signs such as changes to the stool, or listless behavior those can also indicate illness and should be checked out by a vet. Otherwise, giving her a little space and leaving food and water where she can easily access it may help her calm down some and return to normal behavior.

Tail bobbing isn't really a symptom in itself, unless you are seeing other signs such as difficulty breathing, sleeping all the time, not eating/drinking. It could be you are just startling your birds, so they are hunching down when you are near, or they are just active and moving about if they otherwise seem healthy. Offering a treat when you come by to visit can help them bond with you. If you do start seeing any signs of illness, or respiratory distress (heavy breathing, panting, etc) then scheduling a vet visit to rule out any more serious issue is best.

A sudden behavioral change can sometimes indicate a health issue that is underlying, so a good first step is always to schedule a vet checkup and rule out any health issues. If Banana checks out healthy, looking to things that could have changed (new neighbor with a loud car? New pet? People in the house visiting) may help you clue into why he is having a behavioral change. Adding in some toys that can distract him or that he can snuggle with may help, as well as offering a treat every time you interact to help him relax. In some cases, sexual maturity may cause behavioral changes (though this usually involves lashing out rather than hiding/being fearful.) Lowering the amount of protein in his diet and decreasing daylight hours may however help if the change is hormonal related.

Thanks for reaching out about Robin and including photos. Feather picking behavior can be due to multiple causes including stress, feather parasites (lice, mites), metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), infectious diseases (viral, bacterial), contact allergies and others. A veterinary visit is recommended, and you might have to utilize a hand towel to restrain and transport to a travel cage. As for trust, that just takes time, especially if not originally hand fed. Keep movements slow and deliberate. Good luck.