Adding A Bird To The Family. Consider A Rescued Bird.

January is the ASPCA’s Adopt a Rescued Bird Month! Not everyone is aware of the large number of pet parrots that are in need of loving homes. Too often, well-meaning people purchase parrots without understanding how much attention they need and these birds end up at avian rescues. Remember, birds are floofins too, so if you’re interested in keeping birds as pets, consider adoption!

Parrots and parakeets are intelligent, fun, and exciting pets and make great companions. Some birds want nothing more than to sit on your shoulder while you go about your daily tasks–although no birds in the kitchen please! Because of their biology, parrots are very susceptible to air-born chemicals and toxins.

If you’re a first-time bird adopter, you may want to start with a smaller bird, like a cockatiel or a budgerigar. Both kinds are fairly easy to train and relatively quiet. Lovebirds are beautiful and smart, but can be very loud. As with any kind of animal adoption, it’s important to meet the little critter first in order to make sure she’d be a good fit with you and your family.

Some things to consider before adoption include some parrots’ have relatively long lifespans (even smaller breeds like conures can live 20-30 years!) Parrots and parakeets can be quite noisy, and if they’re bored or upset they can become destructive. Parrots need a lot of mental stimulation on account of their intelligence so you’ll need to swap out toys on a fairly regular basis. Parrots need daily social interaction as well, but that’s a huge part of the fun of parrot ownership! Even tiny birds like budgies need space in which to stretch their wings and fly, and the larger the parrot, the more space they need.

There are numerous parrots out there that need good homes, so if you’re considering bird ownership, or already own birds and would like to add more to your family, please consider adoption! With research and planning, you can provide a forever home for a parrot and add a long-time companion to your family. Owning a parrot or parakeet is quite different from owning a dog or cat, and takes a separate set of expertise, and bird ownership isn’t for everyone. Looking for more info? Check out the Avian Welfare Coalition—their website is brimming with useful information! If you’re looking for a few local bird rescues, check out A Refuge for Saving the Wildlife, and H.A.A.P.E. Parrots Rescue.