Blue and gold macaw

We all learn as we go through our lives. Some of life’s lessons are taught in the harshest of ways when someone, or something,  pays for our errors or lapses in judgment, leaving us to suffer not only loss, but guilt.

Sometimes other people’s actions are unthinkable to us. Some can be appropriately described as acts of cruelty or neglect. Others are the result of preoccupation, something we are ALL guilty of with our busy lives. We have to be careful not to condemn someone whose heart was ...

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pacific parrotlets

A questions that we often hear at Birdtricks is: “what is a good first bird to get?”. It’s a difficult question and one that I answer reluctantly. I will try to offer my opinion…

First, I want to say that I don’t really believe in “starter” birds. It is often said that a smaller bird is more suitable for the first time owner. I don’t entirely agree.

All birds are created equally. There is no one species of parrot that requires less care or commitment than the others. Every single species ...

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Congo african grey

No bird is perfect – not yours, not mine. Throughout your bird’s lifetime you will encounter many occasions where you will find it necessary to help your bird make behavior modifications that will ultimately make life more satisfying for you both.

Changing a bird’s behavior is never as simple as moving from point A to point B. It requires intricate steps, thoughtfulness and lots of patience. Outlining the procedure ahead of time will help to move through these steps, but without acknowledging the following tips, your job will be ...

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Rosebreasted cockatoos and congo african grey

If we’re going to be honest, I think most of us with multiple birds would have to admit to having a favorite. Of course, we love ALL of our birds, but there might be one that has a special hold on our heart.

With me, it’s Tinky. He was originally bought for my daughter as part of an agreement (bringing up her grades in exchange for the cockatiel she’d been asking for). Several months after he arrived, she went on a three day outing with her ...

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Camelot macaw

Q: I want to get a bigger, better cage for my bird, but I am afraid that the change will stress him out. Should I just keep him in the one he is in or risk spending money on one he might hate?

-Robert F., Springfield, MA

A: One big mistake bird owners make is in the assumption that their birds are unable to adapt to change. In fact, they are surprisingly resilient, and we are doing them a disservice, and depriving them of a life rich in experience, if we ...

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