I don't know about the Quaker habits in particular, but my Indian Ringneck used to pick at the inside roof of her beak with her toenail.  Is that what you are seeing ?  Like a kid would bite their fingernails ?  If so, there can be two causes. 

 

One- the bird may have some piece of food/ seed hull stuck up there and he really is trying to get it out.  Two- it could be a nervous habit.  My bird (that I found loose) did that quite a lot for the first four months I had her.  I just thought it was something birds did in general.  About that time I joined BB & asked about it on here & someone (GoodBird perhaps) described how to see if a piece of food was really stuck up there (I don't remember exactly what she said, as I could not handle my bird at that time).  At that same time my bird moved into her permanent cage and started a molt and suddenly about two weeks later I realized she had quit doing that.  So either some little piece of something came loose, or more likely my bird just finally felt a bit more settled in here.

 

Now she has done it again more the past week or two (but not nearly as much as she used to).  I think she is a little nervous from the change of pace due to the holidays, plus my boyfriend is trying to get her to get used to him being closer to her, and she is still exhibiting that she is unsure of him at times.

 

This truly looks like she is "picking her teeth", so if you see your bird doing something different, like tugging on the foot or something else, I may be way off base here.

Hi Slave,  My 9 year old grey, Murphy, does this when I put him in his cage at night.  I think it's just a habit. Doesn't seem nervous while he is doing it. He pulls his toenails thru his beak and makes them nice and sharp so he can puncture me good the next morning.  I used to worry about it but he has done it for so many years and has never bled or acted like his feet are sore.

Annie

 

Thanks for all the replys on Buster's foot biting. I think he's just excited, and or agitated. My grey has never done that at all. She will clean her toe nails, and it's very obvious that's what she's doing,but this is different. Buster(the quaker) yanks his feet up, and down, grabs his legs, and bobs them up and down too. He also wants to be on my shoulder constantly, and if he can't I think he gets frustrated. I can't imagine how you multiple bird owners do it, I only have two, and they are both wanting my individual attention all the time. You have my admiration. Happy New Year to all, I'm looking forward to the new year with Bird Brainz in my life.

Forrest--one of my blue and gold macaws--grabs his foot in his beak and holds it as he regurgitates. He's about 4 yrs old and is starting his hormonal surge. So far this is the only time that he puts his foot near his beak, other than to eat. When he is bringing up food, he grabs his foot and shakes it in time to the neck movement.

 

Sophie-an umbrella cockatoo-chews her nails when she is nervous.

 

Cisco--hahn's macaw--puts one of his toes in his beak when he is scratching his head with the others.

 

I haven't noticed the behavior in any of my other birds, but there are many reasons why one could appear to be putting his foot in his beak.

 

Bill