PBS Parrot Documentary - Parrot Confidential

Being in bird rescue for about five years, this message needs to get out there. Parrots are wild animals. Period. They were not domesticated like dogs and cats were for 1000s of years. They were taken from South America, Australia, Africa, then bred in captivity (usually under really sad living conditions aka bird mills), and there's your standard "pet bird".

An animal with the mental capacity of a three year old (i.e. a cockatoo) stuck in a cage, getting fed a garbage diet, deprived of it's proper friends and family (flock), just so we can say "Hey, Look what I have!" as we point at the buddy with bandaged hands. Bandaged hands? Yes, because WILD ANIMALS tend to bite. When people ask, "Do you have a bird that doesn't bite?" Honestly? No. There is no guarantee. 

Granted, there are those that have great skill and patience for birds, but they often have their hands full tending to those they already have - not wanting to be on the next episode of Hoarders.

Oh and some birds can live to be 70, you still want this guy? Do you have a plan for him when he outlives you? Do you have money for vet treatments if he gets sick? What happens if you have kids? Many people relinquish birds because they have a baby.

Think of how many houses these birds, these social, needy, animals get bounced around. They bond, then get bounced.

Is that fair to kids in the foster system? No? Then why is it fair to these guys who exhibit human personality traits*? (*Google it).

They even get mental illness, hence the self-mutilation. Plucked birds. They do it to themselves. They don't do this in the wild, because they're happy out where nature intended them to be.

This isn't PETA. I'm not part of any group like that. I speak from experience and compassion. This is taking an different look at the life of companion animals. It's time to ask ourselves what is best for them, not what's best for us.

Birds have wings, they should fly FREE. Humans dream of being able to soar through the skies. Right? Who wouldn't want to do that? So why do we think it's ok to deny a creature with this awesome ability by sticking them in a cage.

by stevebronstein.com

"You have a bird? Hypocrisy!" Think before you speak. No. It's a mission. Promote conservation of their wild habitats, encourage ecotourism, find quality homes (yeah, it's a tough endeavor) for those that can't be free, and STOP BREEDING THEM FOR A LIFE OF CAPTIVITY FOR PROFIT. Stop taking babies from their parents to make them have more babies to be taken from their parents. I know it sounds odd to the non-bird-literate, but it actually breaks their hearts. It's cruel.

Also, babies bond better? Yeah, they like you for about 3 years, then puberty hits, and they end up liking someone else in your family and they just want to bite and laugh at you. (I still love you, Elly. You're just being a bird/brat.)

Despite what people say about this documentary, it's going to open a discussion and give people time to reflect, and that's better than doing nothing to help these poor guys.