heaving/panting

Question
I noticed my afican grey was heaving and panting slightly, as if she wanted to vomit. I couldn't see anything she might have eaten to make her behave like this. She calmed down after a short while but I am wondering whether this is indicative of a n illness and whether it would be prudent to take her to a vet.

Answer
What it sounds like you saw was her going through regurgitation motions. Did she do this while interacting with you, another bird or even a favorite toy? Perhaps a new addition to the cage or house? A bird will sometimes attempt to "feed" something they're cautious about or even afraid of - hoping to garner favor.

The description that bothers me a bit is that she seemed to be panting slightly.  Make sure she's not overheating or without access to fresh, clean, cool water.  We don't care for the automatic bottles (that hang on the cage side with a little ball in the end) mostly because they can get stuck and not deliver water - but unless the human is checking several times a day - it can be quite some time before it's noticed.  I always figure that since we're checking anyway, we might as well just change the water bowl.  

An overheated bird can deteriorate healthwise in a rather quick time and it's important to move them to a cooler location, mist them with cool water and provide some shade. If the breathing with beak open continues, yes, seek vet attention.

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