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Squawk, Squawk and Tweet, Tweet National Bird Day (which we just missed on Jan. 5) encourages people to spend time learning about or advocating for avian wildlife. While most of us have some kind of appreciation for the winged creatures that poop on our cars, fill the trees with song and steal our Doritos at the beach, most of us don't really know a lot about birds. In recognition of the day, I thought I would write a piece about one of the most mistreated birds in the world—the parrot. A bird that everyone knows and loves, but not many understand. Parrots are birds made up of 372 species including variations of macaws, parakeets, and cockatoos, and their range covers most of the southern hemisphere of the world. Parrots are highly social, intelligent animals—on par with primates and orcas—and many species live to be up to 80 years old. The parrot problem is twofold. On the one hand, wild populations are diminishing due to poaching and displacement, and on the other, captive populations are skyrocketing and thousands of these intelligent, emotional birds are being neglected and euthanized. Eighty years is a long commitment to make to an animal, especially one so unfit for life indoors, and they are thus frequently abandoned. Captive parrots make difficult companions because—get this—they aren't designed to be in captivity. Crazy, right? They are designed for expansive flight, complex social bonds, and communication across forests, so caged birds are LOUD, bummed out, lonely, and smart enough to know that what's happening to them isn't right. They aren't domesticated; they're a wild, non-native species being kept away from their home and everything that is natural to them. They don't want to be your buddy. We are effectively up to our eyeballs in homeless, sad parrots. One of the ways parrots show their stress in captivity is self-mutilation. I first witnessed this when I was working with a wildlife center in Costa Rica that had taken in some scarlet macaws from the private pet trade. These guys looked like plucked chickens with a just few bright feathers left where they couldn't reach to pull them out. Wings clipped and bodies mutilated, these guys were obviously physically and emotionally destroyed. Even being in their native land, captivity had caused them such damage that complete rehabilitation was very unlikely. Fortunately for them, they have a sanctuary that will care for them, but a lot of birds aren't so lucky and end up abandoned, neglected, or euthanized. This crisis stems from the fundamentally flawed ideology that wildlife is ours to keep. While parrots are breathtaking, fascinating creatures, they are also autonomous beings with their own culture, behaviors, and needs, and there are ways to appreciate their existence without keeping them locked indoors. To really appreciate someone means to appreciate their natural state of being, and there's nothing natural about our relationship with these birds. Want to help parrots on National Bird Day? You could donate $5 to a parrot sanctuary (make sure they are accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries) like Foster Parrots. You could share this article and talk to friends about what's happening to parrots. If you've got a rescued parrot or know someone who does, you can share these tips about keeping captive birds as happy as possible. Last but not least, I encourage anyone who wants to learn more to grab a friend and watch the fantastic PBS film, Parrot Confidential, a 2013 documentary about the parrot trade (video posted below.) It's truly eye-opening. CommentsComments are closed.
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