Since then the song has become known under numerous other "birdie" names, including " Vogerltanz" (Bird Dance), "Danse des Canards", "El Baile de los Pajaritos", "Il Ballo del Qua Qua", "Chicken Dance" and "Dance Little Bird". Ozseeker the Clown doing the "Chicken Dance" at a Municipal Band concert in Eau Claire, Wisconsin He also wrote new Dutch lyrics for the song, although the Electronicas version is an instrumental one (Hoes himself recorded the vocal version, but that did not become a hit). On some recorded releases of the music Werner Thomas is listed as the sole composer, while on others other authors are listed, e.g., as "Thomas/Rendall/Hoes", the last name referring to Dutch singer/producer Johnny Hoes, who re-arranged the song for the Electronicas recording (which was released on Hoes' own record label, Telstar Records). The record entered the Dutch charts and stayed there for over seven months, and started the international success of the song. The A-side was not a hit, but local radio stations in the south and east of the Netherlands decided to flip the disc and started playing "De Vogeltjesdans". In 1980, Dutch local band "De Electronica's" released an instrumental version called "De Vogeltjesdans" ("The dance of the little birds") as the B-side of a single. Eurovox Music now manages the publishing rights worldwide, except for the US (September Music), UK (Valentine Music) and the Netherlands (Benelux Music), sub-publishers. However, on subsequent releases of the song, Van Rymenant was listed as co-author under the pen name of Terry Rendall. Van Rymenant had some lyrics created and in 1970 released it to the public through his publishing company Intervox Music (later on co-publishing with his other company Eurovox Music) without much success. During one of Thomas' performances, Belgian producer Louis van Rymenant heard the song. Since 1963, Werner Thomas had played it in restaurants and hotels. On some sheet music and recordings it is called "Dance Little Bird". Some time in the late 1970s, the song acquired the name "Vogeltanz" (The Bird Dance) or "Vogerltanz" (Little Bird Dance or Birdie Dance), although these names never caught on seriously in Germany. It is a popular drinking song at Oktoberfest especially smaller local ones as found on many YouTube videos. The name of the original Swiss song was "Der Ententanz" (The Duck Dance). The partners may switch arms and directions (and sometimes partners) partway through the refrain. The fifth move persists throughout the refrain and involves the dancer and a partner locking arms, facing opposite directions, and spinning.
The first four moves are done in place and are repeated throughout each verse: The final repetition of the main theme is often played as one continuous accelerando.
The secondary theme features a contrasting rhythm. It begins with repeated dominant chords before moving into the main theme. The piece is often notated in cut time and the key of C major.