Although parrots are a common sight in homes today, the truth is we are still learning about what is best for their wellbeing when it comes to their health and behavior. Most parrots are only a few generations removed from their wild relatives. Much of the information that was once relevant and passed along in magazines and books about parrot care in our lifetimes has been challenged and even proven false through studies and professional observation. Unfortunately, a lot of that now misinformation still manages to make its way around the parrot community mostly through the internet. Let's take a look at some of that misinformation and try to shed some light on the facts.

Myth #1: You Can Predict a Parrot’s Personality Based Solely on its Species

There is a lot of information out there in the form of articles and videos about how to choose what kind of parrot to buy based on its species in order to determine its personality. How many times have you heard “Cockatoos are cuddly birds!” or “If you want a talkative bird, get an African Grey!” When a person does the right thing, and they research before purchasing a parrot for the first time, they can be met with a lot of one size fits all claims about what to expect from their parrot. When someone buys a bird expecting it to act a certain way, for example, an African Grey, and it doesn’t talk or doesn’t mimic noises like the person expected, then the person is going to be disappointed and they might even rehome the bird and look for another. Or in some cases, they might lose interest in the bird and that bird may not get the attention it needs.

Here’s an example of one kind of problematic piece of information. In researching for this post, I came across an article high up in the search rankings listing the top birds it recommended for beginner parrot owners. The 2nd on the list was a Hyacinth Macaw. Yes, the largest parrot on Earth. It described them as “gentle”, “cuddly" (more about the dangers of using labels to predict a bird’s behavior below) and claimed that they “want nothing more than your love and affection.” Anyone that has had birds for a while can tell you that there is no such species of parrot that all share the same exact characteristics when it comes to personality. I recently volunteered at my local parrot rescue where they have a Hyacinth Macaw. It’s a resident at the rescue, so it’s not been surrendered but rather lives there with the owner. That parrot does not enjoy being handled or being around humans at all. Now, this could be due to several reasons but that bird seems to prefer to spend time with its cagemate. That’s not to say that he doesn’t like people, but that he chooses to remain at a distance from them and just be present in the same room. Someone that expected “love and affection” from a human’s perspective from that bird would be very disappointed. Just like humans and many other animals, every parrot is different and should be treated as the individual that they are.

It’s not like the article mentioned above came from an obscure source, either. It is listed on a pet hospital’s website. Someone looking for advice on what kind of parrot to choose might come across an article like this one and assume that the author knows what they’re talking about, because hey, a pet hospital would know, right? Although I don’t know for sure, what likely happened is that in order to optimize SEO, or their search rankings on Google, this company hired people to write blog posts for them on their website. However, they didn’t ensure that whoever is writing the articles is providing accurate information or has adequate knowledge about the topics they are writing. Most of the time the author does a quick search and parrots the information it finds further passing along inaccuracies.

When deciding what kind of parrot to buy and what sort of personality it may have, its species does play a part in that decision. However, it is very important to also consider that every bird, regardless of species, will come with its own life experiences, genetic predisposition and quirks. As a recent mentor of mine once told me, “behavior is the study of one.” If we keep that in mind, then we can be ready for whatever challenges we are faced with.

Myth #2: Hand Feeding Baby Birds is the Only Way to Ensure it Will Bond with Humans



Despite recent studies showing otherwise, this old way of thinking has been one of the more stubborn ones to dispel. Aviculturists noticed early on that when a bird was taken from its parents and hand fed that it tended to be more comfortable being handled. This is true - a bird that is accustomed to being touched and fed early in life will be more comfortable in the short term with a person’s hands and affection. However, just because a bird is less fearful of a person doesn't mean that it is guaranteed to form a healthy bond with them. Nor does it mean that the bird will grow up without issues relating to hand feeding. It is also not true that the only way for birds to be comfortable around humans is to hand feed them.

Let’s look at a chapter in the Manual of Parrot Behavior titled “HandRearing: Behavioral Impacts and Implications for Captive Parrot Welfare” In it, we are told that both scientific and lay literature have noted behavioral and physiological abnormalities in baby birds that have been hand fed by people instead of their parents. A bird’s development is disrupted when it is separated from its parents for long periods of time. In the article, the author describes data that was collected in studies where baby birds that were separated from their parents were more likely to exhibit neophobia (the fear of new objects and situations), have a slower growth rate and have behavioral issues later in life. They also seem to be more likely to experience abnormal vocal development and display unhealthy sexual behavior.

There’s a lot more that parents do for their babies than simply depositing food into their beaks. Baby birds learn a lot from their parents and environment in those first days. Most birds that are hand fed are kept in brooders and only experience human interaction. They aren’t getting the opportunity to see how their parents behave, what a healthy pair bond looks like between birds or what an appropriate nest site is. Animals that are exposed to certain situations early in life are more likely to make choices that resemble those experiences later on. This could be quite confusing to a bird as it grows up and explores the world that hasn’t had the opportunity to learn from its parents and environment as a baby.

Birds that are hand fed by humans are also more likely to display inappropriate sexual behaviors later in life such as unhealthy pair bonding with humans. This issue is arguably the greatest contributor to behavioral issues that people notice in their birds. Unhealthy pair bonds can result in some problematic behaviors like plucking, excessive vocalization, aggression, and reproductive issues. Hand fed birds are less likely to want to interact with other birds and tend to prefer human interaction which isn’t ideal because participating socially with other birds is an important part of living a healthy, natural life for them. Even if a bird is kept as a single bird in a home, allowing it to be raised by its parents will make it more likely that the bird will form a healthier bond with its humans.

There is still research being done on this topic. But there’s a lot of information out there right now for anyone that wants to educate themselves to make an informed choice about what kind of bird to buy. I invite you to explore this topic on your own as well. Fact check the information I’ve provided today and take a look for yourself. That objective way of thinking is how we can ensure that what we learn is based on the most accurate information possible rather than simply taking someone’s word as fact. It is my humble opinion and that of many professionals and scientists that the best way for a person to form a healthy bond with their bird is by providing that bird with good nutrition, enrichment, and through training and positive reinforcement rather than depending on hand feeding to form a bond with them.

Myth #3: You Need to Buy Certain Products to Keep a Bird Healthy (feather sprays, sandpaper perches, etc)

As parrot ownership started to increase thanks to social media and other factors, pet stores and even some social media influencers noticed that there was a huge market for products related to parrot care. While some of the products that are offered are beneficial to birds, some are not only ineffective at what they claim to do but they can also be harmful.

Some products that have been marketed lately are aloe feather sprays and feather shampoos. They claim that they can improve a bird’s feather condition and shine. However, when a bird preens, it is not only spreading material from their preening gland onto their feathers to waterproof them and keep them healthy - they are also trying to remove other materials such as dust from their feathers that do not belong there. These sprays and shampoos can leave a film on the feathers, causing the bird to preen more and more to try and remove it. They can also remove the healthy oils that a bird spreads by preening.

Using these products on the feathers might leave a shine that a person finds pleasing to the eye, but it comes at a cost for the bird. If a bird preens excessively in order to try and remove residue from products, it can damage its feathers and experience stress.  If you want to help your bird have healthy feathers, the best thing you can do for them is to provide fresh, clean water and a healthy diet. Unless recommended by an avian veterinarian for medical issues, sprays and other products are unnecessary for feather health.

There’s a lot more examples out there. Sandpaper perches are sold in many stores claiming to promote healthier nails but can actually cause damage by being abrasive and making foot infection more likely. Nests and huts that claim to make a bird more comfortable and provide a sense of safety are in nearly every pet store despite the fact that they can not only stimulate hormone production but can also cause a bird to become entangled in them and contain dangerous fibers that can cause impaction in a bird's body if ingested. Then there are also products like certain kinds of bedding that you can place at the bottom of the cage that can result in mold growth which can be deadly. There are a lot of products to be aware of and I can’t cover them all here. So, the best thing a person can do is research through reputable sources and talk to their avian vet.

Here at Bird Street Bistro, we aim to provide parrot owners with clear information about our product's ingredients and health benefits. For example, our Green Goodness Boost - Parrot Veggies Mix can help make sure birds receive varied nutrition - with ingredients and nutritional data listed clearly on our website so owners can make an informed choice about their bird's health.

Myth #4: “Some Parrots are Just Aggressive, Fearful, etc.” - Using Labels to Explain a Bird’s Behavior

When trying to diagnose or explain behavioral problems in a parrot, people will often use labels to try and explain that behavior. For example, a bird that plucks its feathers or displays fear might be labeled as a “fearful” or “anxious” bird. Labels do not help with addressing behavioral issues because labels tell us what the bird “is” instead of helping us to understand what the bird is doing. This means that using labels isn’t helpful in solving an issue and can create a sort of dead end in trying to improve a situation. You are essentially creating a self-fulfilling prophecy and will continue to see in the bird what you expect because that is how our human minds work when we use labels to describe a problem or situation.

By looking at what a bird is doing instead of what it is, we can begin to diagnose and improve behavioral issues. Animal behavior, depending on the context, can be a complicated topic and behavioral issues in a bird are best addressed with the help of a vet and certified parrot behavior consultant. Sometimes behavioral issues are due to medical issues which is why the first step in any situation is to let your vet know about them and rule out any medical causes that may be contributing or causing the behavior. But sometimes issues are due to something we are causing ourselves and might not even realize. One of the first steps a person can take is taking labels out of the picture when confronting behavioral concerns. By doing so, we can instead pay attention to what our bird is doing, take note of patterns or triggers that are causing them and take steps to change the situations and our own actions that might be reinforcing that behavior.

Final Thoughts

I hope this post will be helpful to anyone looking to get more information about their birds or to help them make decisions when it comes to getting one. I know how hard it can be to sort through and interpret the information out there about parrot care. There is so much outdated information and flat out falsehood available and present as soon as we type in those search keywords. But the good news is that there is also accurate, up to date, helpful information available to anyone that wants to consume it. You’ve just got to be objective when accessing it. Look for sources and find out about the person that is relaying it. We are our bird’s greatest and only advocate when it comes to providing them proper care. It’s a huge responsibility, but one that we are never alone in. There’s a whole network out there of people that are educated and want to help. All we have to do is to know where to look.

References:

Schuett, Wiebke, et al. “Environmental transmission of a personality trait: Foster parent exploration behaviour predicts offspring exploration behaviour in zebra finches.” Biology Letters, vol. 9, no. 4, 23 Aug. 2013

Friedman, Susan G. “ Early Socialization: A Biological Need and the Key to Companionability.” Behavior Works, www.behaviorworks.org

Fox, Rebecca. “HandRearing: Behavioral Impacts and Implications for Captive Parrot Welfare.” California Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review, pp. 83–91. 

Friedman, Susan G. “StopPDD Conference.” Straight Talk about Parrot Behavior.