Beak Grinding

[Tishrei]

Okay, this is a very stupid question, I admit it but I'm going to ask anyway.

I know beak grinding is a good thing. Ducky does it at night when he's bedding down for the evening, not when he goes to bed necessarily but when it's late and he's tired. So when he starts the grinding, I know he will be ready to go to sleep soon.

Here's the question. Why do they grind their beaks. Is it to make it sharper? If so, why only at night? I'm assuming that all birds do it at night, not just Ducky.

[TJ Wolfe]

basically it means they're content. It's a good thing.

[Nazir's]

Well, I have not found any information supporting whether or not a bird is grooming its beak by either sharpening it or shaping it while grinding. Therefore, I'll say that it's just a form of contentment or comfort. Usually occurring right before a mid day nap, good night’s rest, or after a good meal. I noticed it more frequently when my fids where still being hand fed (younger).

[Courtzrocks]

My tiel does it when he is tired (not always at night). He starts grinding his beak and gradually goes to sleep.

[BanjoBuddyCookie]

It's a form of communication, meaning that the bird is feeling content.

[DarwinTheSun]

I bet they do it for comfort rather than beak sharpening. Like rocking ourselves to sleep or something.

[saucie]

I assume it's for the same reason that some of us humanoids grind our teeth. One of those comfort actions...

[huntress]

Banjo said it. It is a form of communication telling the rest of the birds in the flock that everything is OK, time to rest.

[SDavid]

A rule of thumb I use when looking at an unexplained action like that is to assume it probably has some use for them in the wild. My Galah and Budgies grind their beaks. My TAG does it less. It seems to signify they are content and about to doze off.