superb parrot biting

Question
Hi Alicia, Hope u can help with my problem. I have a superb parrot [australian native] that I have trained to be very tame. I go for a 1 hour walk 5days aweek & sammy goes for the ride on my shoulder. Trouble is over the last few months he has started biting me on the ears.  He doesn't do it at home. He is 3years old. Any information will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Roy

Answer
hi. thanks for your question. interestingly enough, i have never heard of a superb parrot. i will have to research them out of curiosity. parrots behavior can be generalized however to most parrot breeds, with some variations.
that sounds really neat that you are able to take him out for walks on your shoulder. I'm sure he appreciates not only the time outdoors, but quality time with his owner! on a cautious note, i hope that you are trimming his wings and/or putting him in a flightsuit in order to prevent him from getting loose. additionally, other outdoor animals (wild and domestic) can pose a threat to him as well, especially if he were to get frightened and fall or fly off of your shoulder.
since you say that he does not bite at home and has not been biting before, i am not sure if this is an overall biting issue per se (that is, some birds bite everyone, all the time).  when my bird bites me, it is usually a "warning" bite to indicate that either someone or something is around that he feels poses a threat to either me or him. usually this is another person or something else that is frightening him. are you passing by more people on your walks? is he doing it when he passes by a certain object/person that may be frightening him? anything new on your walk that wasn't there before? birds are very observant and often will warn their owners with a bite when something isn't "right". since your ears are there and readily available, they are suffering the brunt of the bites. i would entertain this as a possibility if they are hard, rapid bites. oftentimes, when a bird is on your shoulder, he gets on a "power trip" due to his position up near your eye level.  this is why allowing a bird to stay on your shoulder for extended periods of time can lead to biting behavior. in your case, i am not sure how this could be remedied as it is difficult to go on a long walk with your parrot without leaving him on your shoulder (where else could you put him?)
if the bites are not hard or are more like "nibbles" perhaps he has become comfortable enough on his walks with you to start "investigating" his immediate surroundings (ie, your shoulder/head). he may be trying to play with you or biting your ears out of curiosity.
these are really the only possibilities that i can think of. perhaps on your walks you may consider distracting him with something else to chew on..perhaps wear a hat or an older shirt.
you can also try and curb the behavior by turning around and taking him back home when he bites. if he enjoys going on walks, he should put 2 and 2 together and see that a bite will cut the activity short. although you will miss out on your walk with him, it is important to let him know you run the show. good luck and let me know how it goes. alicia