Because parrots are not domesticated they carry with them all of their natural and biological instincts. When parrots are bred in captivity, the chicks are taken from their parents and are hand-fed by humans. This is not only undesirable because it doesn't give the chuck an opportunity to bond with its parent, but also because there is potential for the chick to be fed incorrectly by the human, leading to health problems or even death. There have been incidences documented in the pet trade of parrot breeders accidentally injecting food into the lungs of baby birds instead of their stomachs.

Though we do not know this for sure, some avian veterinarians and people who have dealt with the rehabilitation of captive birds believe that the lack of bonding with a parent causes many issues in the future life of the chick. After the baby birds are weaned, they are sold into the pet trade where they are prohibited from exhibiting any natural behaviors. They are kept in small cages and are fed an improper diet. They are restricted from flying (a natural instinct) as well as forming bonds with other parrots (the pet trade frowns upon this because it causes the birds not to bond with humans, making them an undesirable pet). One of the biggest problems seen in these birds is lack of knowledge about their own species - they do not know how to be a bird because they didn't have parents to teach them how to survive. What we see from this is a misunderstanding of how to take care of their own bodies - instead of preening their feathers and cleaning their bodies, they will pull the feathers out and "over-preen".

Feather plucking is one of the biggest problems in captive parrots. It has never been documented in wild birds. Though the exact reason is not know, it is believed that the birds pull their feathers out or even worse, self mutilate due to stress. This is not necessarily psychological stress (though it often can be) but biological stress from not being able to perform natural behaviors, which include nest building, mating, and rearing their own chicks. Many birds who have plucked their own feathers for a long period of time no longer grow feathers, causing a permanent baldness in the affected area. This makes the bird more prone to illness because its body temperature is not as well regulated and too much sensitive skin is exposed.

This is Bebe, a resident at Foster Parrots. Here is an example of extreme self-mutilation. These photos were taken before his rescue.

Here is Bebe with a healed keel bone as well as new skin and feather growth.

Here is an example of permanent loss of feather growth. Though this bird no longer plucks its feathers, the follicle is too damaged to produce new feathers.

Here is an example of a bonded pair who over-preen each other.

Bebe must wear a plastic collar around his neck in order to prevent him from self-mutilating. Though this is not ideal, he functions very well with it on and it is very effective at preventing self-harm.

Here is an example of a bird that uses its feet to pull feathers out in areas that it cannot reach with its beak.

Other behaviors seen in distressed captive parrots include stereotypes like rocking back and forth, pacing and other compulsive behaviors. I did notice a few birds that would compulsively bite their skin when I would approach them as if they were nervous and the biting soothed them. As you can see by these photos, the self-destructive behaviors in parrots vary greatly on the individual. Parrots who are stressed will often act aggressively towards other birds and often times humans. They are known to destroy furniture and other household items as well. Because of the destruction, loud vocalizations and aggressive and threatening behaviors they can exhibit, parrots (especially Cockatoos) are relinquished to shelters and sanctuaries at alarming rates.


[ Special Needs Birds ]


These Rainbow Lorikeets are referred to as "The Wobblies" - they were rescued from a parrot mill. While being kept at the breeding facility, they were somehow exposed to racoon feces. They were infected with Racoon Roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), which causes severe illness, including impairing neurological damage. The roundworm is a parasite - the larvae migrate to the brain and burrow in the tissue. Though these birds have been treated for the parasitic infection, their brain damage is permanent. This causes issues with imbalance and a bizarre "circling" motion with their bodies. Their eyes are very sensitive to light so they need to be kept in a dark area where there isn't a lot of commotion. They sometimes have trouble perching, are startled easily and need to be cared for with caution. I have spent a lot of time with these birds and despite their impairment, they seem to do very well. Their social needs are met, they exhibit healthy grooming and bonding behaviors with each other and eat a healthy diet of fruit and nectar.


This is Jim, a Haan's Macaw. As you might be able to tell from the photo, Jim is blind. He is one of my favorite birds at the sanctuary and is fascinating to watch. Despite his impairments, he gets along quite well and has come up with several tricks to function like a normal bird. He lives with a bonded mate named Stephen, who spends a great deal of time taking care of Jim. I have watch Stephen preen Jim's feathers for him as well as support Jim's body weight when he is not secure. Stephen helps Jim find the water dish and even helps guide him across perches.

Jim's favorite place to spend time is in the protective cover of a cardboard box that is placed at the bottom of his cage. He feels most secure here. When I service Jim's cage, I like to make sure I move slowly and speak loudly so he knows I am near him. I try to make as much vibration as I can so he can tell where my hands are. Instead of eating from a dish, we put Jim's food on the ground in front of his cardboard box. He knows right away when we place it there and traces his beak along the surface until he finds a morsel, then eats it. He continues to do this until the food is all gone!

Due to Jim's blindness, he startles easily and it is amazing to see how much comfort he finds in the companionship of his friend, Stephen. Stephen immediately comes to the side of Jim when he is scared and makes sure their bodies are pressed tightly together so Jim knows he is safe. They have a beautiful and inspiring friendship.



I want to add that there are ways to care for a parrot (or parrots) at home and not all pet birds end up with these types of issues. It is important to understand that they have not been bred over time to fit in well with humans like cats and dogs have, so while in the home, they will act much more like a wild animal. People who are considering living with a companion parrot need to consider this and also be aware of the knowledge and time it takes to provide the best life possible for their bird.

There are a millions of unwanted pet birds in the United States. Many of them are in shelters and sanctuaries, while others are not so lucky and are living in unsafe and neglectful homes. To reduce this population and prevent it from growing, it is important to work towards the abolition of parrot breeding and the poaching of wild parrots for the pet trade.