Bird Blog
Below is a list of parrot rescues by state and then by country. If you want to adopt a parrot or get rid of a parrot, contact the shelter closest to you.
Alabama
*Parrots-R-4Ever Avian Rescue & Sanctuary – AWC Participating Organization
Alaska
Parrot Education & Adoption Center (PEAC)
Arizona
Arizona Exotic Bird Rescue, Inc.
The Oasis Sanctuary
Tucson Avian Rescue & Adoption (TARA)
California
The Association of Parrot C.A.R.E.
Coventry Captive Bird Survival Center
The Lily Sanctuary
Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue
Parrot Education & Adoption Center (PEAC)
*Parrots First – AWC Participating Organization
Colorado
Florida
Lucky Parrot Refuge & Sanctuary
The Shyne Foundation
Ziggys Haven Bird Sanctuary
Georgia
Illinois
A Refuge for Saving the Wildlife
Indiana
Healthipet Network *( New Jersey & New York branches)
Safe haven Parrot Sanctuary
Exotic Parrot Rescue
Kansas
Tall Grass Parrot Sanctuary (sanctuary only)
Maryland
Phoenix Landing Foundation
The Garuda Aviary (Sanctuary only)
Massachusetts
*Foster Parrots, Ltd. – AWC Participating Organization
Minnesota
*Midwest Avian Adoption & Rescue Services (MAARS) – AWC Participating Organization
Parrot Adoption Education Program (PAEP)
Missouri
Perfectly Precious Rescue & Adoption
Montana
Montana’s Parrot & Exotic Bird Sanctuary
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Chipper Chirpers Adoption Link
Feathered Friends Parrot Adoption Services, Inc.
Second Chance Bird Rescue & Rehabilitation
Sunnyskies Bird & Animal Sanctuary (sanctuary only)
North Carolina
Companion Parrots Re-homed
Phoenix Landing Foundation
North Dakota
Center for Avian Adoption, Rescue, and Education (C.A.A.R.E.)
Ohio
North Central Ohio Avian Rescue
Parrot Education & Adoption Center (PEAC)
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Feathered Sanctuary Exotic Bird Rescue
Jojo the Grey Adoption and Rescue for Birds, Inc.
South Carolina
S.C. C.A.R.E.S (Sanctuary only, no adoptions)
Phoenix Landing Foundation
South Dakota
Black Hills Parrot Welfare & Education Center
Texas
Gulf Coast Exotic Bird Sanctuary
Southeast Texas Avian Rescue (STAR)
Utah
*Best Friends Animal Society – AWC Participating Organization
Virginia
Central Virginia Parrot Sanctuary/Project Perry – AWC Participating Organization
Tiny Wings in Need (sanctuary only)
Washington
Eastern Washington Parrot Rescue
West Virginia
Raven’s Haven Exotic Bird Rescue
Wisconsin
Center For Avian Rehabilitation & Education
Australia
Canada
Feathered Friends Avian Rescue & Resource Association [AB]
Friends Of Feathers Rescue [BC]
Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary [BC]
Parrot Adopt Southern Ontario [ON]
World Parrot Refuge [BC]
Friends of Feathers Bird Rescue and Sanctuary, British Columbia
Europe
Foundation Dutch Parrot Refuge [Holland]
New Life Parrot Rescue and Helpline Service [UK]
Papageienschutz-Centrum Bremen e. V. [Germany]
Middle East
Kuwait Avian Protection Center (KAPC) [Kuwait]
Other Avian Rescue & Placement Lists
These web sites list a wide variety of organizations and individuals providing bird rescue, adoption, and sanctuary services.
Avian Protection Society: Avian Rescue/Sanctuary/Placement Organizations
ParrotChronicles: Bird Rescue Groups
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): National Shelter Directory
You can also check with local bird clubs to see if they have adoption programs:
In addition, humane societies, animal shelters, and veterinary clinics can sometimes help you find birds available for adoption in your area. You can find these resources in your Yellow Pages or via these web sites:
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): National Shelter Directory
Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV): Find Your Local Avian Veterinarian
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA): State Veterinary Medical Association
Sometimes life takes unexpected turns that leave you unable to keep up with a parrot’s needs. Maybe you simply bought a parrot on impulse and have since realized that you don’t have the patience or resources to keep the animal. What ever the case may be, you have several good options available to you but first I’d like to tell you what not to do:
Do not release a captive parrot into the wild! It will most likely die and though this may sound harsh, it can be even worse if it survives. Captive parrots that have been released into the wild can meet up with others, mate, and become invasive species. They can potentially spread foreign diseases to local birds and even take over prime nesting spots in local ecosystems.
Quaker parrots, also called monk parakeets, are among the only parrots that build nests. Their nests are huge and enable them to live in a wide variety of climates. Parrots that were released into the wild have grown in numbers throughout the United States and have caused thousands of dollars of damage to power companies by building nests on power lines. As a result, thousands of birds have been trapped and killed.
It’s sad that power companies have resorted to this sort of behavior but as pet owners we all need to realize that the problem started because of us and that we are the ones with the power to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future.
Instead, if you need to get rid of your parrot, do one of the following:
Give your parrot to a parrot rescue
There are places that take in parrots all across the United States so that they can be re-homed. These organizations typically sell the birds at a low cost to families that have proven them selves capable of parrot keeping. Giving to a trusted bird shelter is the probably the best way to ensure that your parrot will eventually go to a great home. Keep in mind however that many of their birds will never be re-homed. Very few people are willing to take in a second hand bird.
See our list of bird rescues to find a place in your local area.
Sell your parrot through classified ads
You can find people interested in buying your parrot by posting a classified ad in a paper or on a website. You can interview the person and make sure they have a suitable home for the animal.
Keep in mind that it will be hard to get a good price for your bird, especially if the animal has behavior problems. You may be better off giving the bird to a shelter instead.
Give or sell your parrot to a pet shop
Chose a shop that you know takes good care of its animals and that goes out of its way to educate potential buyers.
Negative Reinforcement vs Positive Reinforcement
0 Comments | Posted by Jon Perry in Parrot Training
A lot of people misunderstand Negative Reinforcement by confusing it with Punishment. Remember that Reinforcement is any consequence that encourages a behavior to continue and a Punishment is any consequence that discourages a behavior from continuing.
Negative Reinforcement starts with a negative condition (like pain) that encourages an organism to perform a behavior that will trigger a reward of relief. The pre-existing negative state can be natural or induced by a trainer.
Example of Natural Negative Reinforcement: If a person has a headache, then takes Tylenol and finds relief, the relief from the headache is reinforcement to take more Tylenol in the future if the headache returns. This is negative reinforcement because the person started out in a negative state.
Negative Reinforcement starts with a negative state and ends with a neutral state.
Positive Reinforcement starts with a neutral state and ends with a positive state.
In a way, you could say that Negative reinforcement involves the use of a pre-punishment.
Many scientists in the field of psychology argue that it is not needed to define the differences between negative and positive reinforcement because they are both so similar. For example, if an animal is hungry so you give it some food, you could say that this was negative reinforcement because he was originally in a negative state of hunger and now he has food which puts him in a neutral state. You could also say that this was positive reinforcement because he got a treat that he loves which probably caused him pleasure.
Example of Positive Reinforcement: You tell your nephew that if he says you’re his favorite uncle you will take him to the Zoo. He then says you are his favorite uncle and you take him to the zoo. He has been positively reinforced.
Example of induced Negative Reinforcement: You put your nephew in a headlock and tell him you will only release if he tells you that you are his favorite uncle. He tells you that you are his favorite uncle and you release.
Which of these two examples do you think will work to better gain your nephew’s trust?
Negative Reinforcement in Parrot Training
In order to use negative reinforcement in parrot training, you would usually have to set up some sort of pre-punishment to induce a negative starting state from which you can then provide relief. If a bird gets thrown into a negative state at the start of each training session then he is essentially being punished for coming out to train. This will teach him to avoid training sessions. That would be bad 
For this reason, it is recommended that parrot trainers only use positive reinforcement when training parrots when ever possible.
One important exception for parrot trainers
If your parrot is scared of you or hates you, then your presence in a room with him will cause a negative state that can then be relieved by you leaving the room. In this case it would be wise of you to use this to your benefit. Enter the room and approach the birds cage to where you see he starts to get uneasy. Wait for the parrot to calm down and then leave the room. The bird is learning that when he is calm, you do good things. This is a good example of when negative reinforcement is not only the best solution when parrot training, it may be the only solution.
Punishment is any consequence that discourages a behavior after or while the behavior is being performed. Punishment can be natural or artificial (man-made).
Example of Artificial Punishment: If you yell at your dog for eating from the trash can he may be afraid to eat from the trash can in the future. This punishment is artificial because a human designed it to stop the dogs from eating from the trash.
Example of Natural Punishment: If your dog cuts his mouth on a piece of broken glass while eating from the trash can, then he has been naturally punished by the broken glass. It is natural because no human intended for the glass to punish the dog, it just happened naturally.
Punishment discourages a specific behavior and is the opposite of Reinforcement which promotes a behavior.
Reinforcement has been clinically proven to shape behavior more effectively then punishment on all animals and people who were tested.
Punishment in Parrot Training
Mild forms of Punishment can sometimes be effective in parrot training but all professional parrot trainers prefer to use rewards (or reinforcement) instead when ever possible. The reason is that parrots will quickly lose trust in a trainer that frequently delivers punishment.
Many bird owners have found that covering a bird’s cage with a blanket when the parrot is screaming can cause the parrot to scream less often. Unfortunately this form of punishment has caused some birds to start plucking feathers. It is highly recommended parrot owners reinforce quiet behavior instead of trying to punish screaming.
Reinforcement is any consequence that motivates an animal to continue a particular behavior. Reinforcement can be natural or artificial (man-made).
Example of Artificial Reinforcement: If you tell a child that he can have a tootsie roll if he says “Please” and then you give him the tootsie roll after he says please, then you have Artificially Reinforced the behavior of saying please. It’s artificial because you set the rules your self and determined the consequence.
Example of Natural Reinforcement: If you are cold and wet from being outside in the rain and then you come inside and are rewarded with warmth and dryness, then the behavior of coming inside has been naturally reinforced by the consequence of becoming dry and warm. It was natural because the consequence was set by nature and not invented by another human.
Outside of the scientific community “Reinforcement” is often used interchangeably with “Reward”. You reward (or reinforce) desired behaviors to encourage them to occur again.
Reinforcement promotes a specific behavior and is the opposite of Punishment which discourages a behavior.
Reinforcement in Parrot Training
Reinforcement is the best way to train a parrot because parrots do horrible with most forms of punishment. Unlike dogs, parrots will quickly lose trust in a trainer that frequently delivers punishment. It can take a lot of work to regain a parrot’s trust once trust is lost. If you want a parrot to do anything for you, you better be willing to bribe!
A Consequence is any event that is triggered by an earlier event. A consequence can be natural or artificial (man-made). It can also be negative, positive, or neutral.
Example of a Negative Natural Consequence: If you get your arm stuck inside a vending machine while trying to steel a pack of m&m’s, then your arm getting stuck was a natural negative consequence of trying to steel from a vending machine. It was natural because the inventor of the machine simply wanted it to be difficult steel from, he did not plan for you to actually get your arm stuck inside the machine.
Example of a positive Man-Made Consequence: If you pay a store owner for some m&m’s and the store owner lets you eat the m&m’s, then you getting to eat the m&m’s is a positive artificial consequence which was created by the store clerk who intentionally set the rules. Yum!
Example of a neutral consequence: When you buy a bag of m&m’s, the store owner puts the money in the cash register. The money went into the register as a consequence of you buying the m&m’s but for you this was a neutral consequence. You didn’t actually care what the store owner did with the money just as long as he let you eat the m&m’s.
Consequences in Parrot Training
When training parrots, or any animal for that matter, we create artificial consequences to help shape the parrot’s behavior. If the parrot says hello when we tell it to say hello, we can then give the bird a positive consequence like a treat or some loving attention as a reward. If a parrot is screaming at the top of its lungs for attention we can give it the negative consequence of being ignored it until is calm. When the bird has been calm for a while, we can then give the bird a positive consequence of attention as a reward.
Operant Conditioning is the official word describing the use of consequences (both negative and positive) to shape the behavior of a living thing. The goal of operant conditioning is to get an animal (humans included) to willingly perform or stop performing a certain behavior.
Example of Operant Conditioning: If at the dinner table you only pass the butter when someone asks with a ‘please’ you are attempting to train them using Operant Conditioning.
Operant Conditioning in Parrot Training
In Parrot Training, operant conditioning is how we get our birds to do what we want them to do whether that is simply stepping up onto our hand or doing a triple flying back-flip through a hoop while singing the Star Spangled Banner 
blue and gold macaw
Experience level: advanced
Lifespan: approximately 50-60 years
Size: approximately 30″-35″ in length
Voice Volume: Extremely Loud
Price Range: $1,000 to $2,000
Parrot Talking Ability: Good
Blue and Gold Macaws (also called blue and yellow macaws) are what many people think of when they hear the word “parrot”. These South American Creatures are well known for their amazing coloration and parrot talking ability. Their large size makes them all the more impressive. Macaws tend to form very strong bonds with their owners and are prized companions to those who have successfully bonded with their birds. As you will read below, they can also be aggressive.
Blue and Gold Macaws in the wild
These birds have a huge range from Panama and the lowlands of South America to SE Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay. They live in wooded areas, usually near water, including edge of lowland humid forest, gallery forest in savanna, savanna with scattered trees and palms, swamp forest and palm swamp. Sometimes forages in open country.
They feed in the top of forest canopies and usually stay in pairs but are sometimes found in flocks of up to 25 birds.
Sound Levels
Macaws are one group of parrots that are big on what is called “flock calling”. In other words, they scream really loud in order to find their friends. This is wonderful for them when living in the jungle but it’s horrible for you and your neighbors when they live inside your house. This is a natural characteristic of macaws and is as much a part of them as their beautiful feathers. With careful training you can get a macaw to do this less often then he normally would but you can never kill this instinct all together. These high sound levels make them inappropriate pets for apartment dwellers.
Blue and Gold Macaw Aggression
Bite marks from a blue and Gold Macaw
Most young Blue and Gold Macaws are extremely friendly if they have been exposed to people since being hatched, but many people report a change in nature at about age 2 or 3. This is usually because the bird has become sexually mature. Even a well cared for macaw will likely become aggressive during mating season (spring time).
Sometimes a bird will develop a mating bond with one person or other bird and be aggressive towards all others, other times the bird will simply become territorial and aggressive to all people. Many people who get bitten during this time will develop a phobia of their bird, stop interacting with the animal, and thus make things worse. It’s important to understand that if you get a large parrot like a Macaw, you will most likely have to suffer a painful bite or two at some time during your relationship.
Bolivian Blue and Gold Macaw
Bolivian B&Gs are simply the birds who’s ancestors were originally caught in Bolivia when it was still legal to sell wild caught birds in the United States. These birds tend to have more vibrant colors than other blue and gold Macaws and they generally sell for a higher price in the pet trade. The difference in color is slight but is reasonably noticeable when two parrots are standing side by side.
Blue and Gold Parrot Talking Ability
The parrot talking skills of this bird are pretty good. Most macaws will pick up a handful of words even without proper training. They don’t tend to be able to compete with African Greys, Eclectus, or Budgie Parakeets though in terms of vocabulary.
Basic Care
Longevity:
60 yrs
Housing:
An outdoor aviary is ideal for parrots; natural sunlight is essential for their plumage (feathers) and overall health. This can be supplemented with full-spectrum lighting indoors if your climate does not allow for your cage to be outside.
Parrots do best when put in a “high traffic” area in the home where they will get daily interaction.
Because parrots in captivity are more likely to become obese – a flight cage is highly encouraged as a means to properly exercise and stay as healthy as possible while living in captivity.
As with all animals, the larger the cage/habitat, the better. Bar spacing should be no less than 1 inch apart and the proper gauge should be 10g/12g.
Enrichment:
Large macaw toys, chewables (fir branches, pine cones, bird-safe wood), large perches, swings, ladders; regular bathing.
Futher Reading
Cool Blue and Gold Macaw Videos
Dino the Blue and Gold Macaw Opens a Beer (Never let you parrot drink alcohol by the way)
Dino does some tricks
Screaming Macaw
Budgie Parakeet
Experience level: beginner
Lifespan: approximately 8-20 years
Size: approximately 7″-7.5″ in length
Voice Volume: Quite
Price Range: $10 to $60
Parrot Talking Ability: Excellent
The budgie parakeet (the ‘Budgerigar’ or simply the ‘Parakeet’) is the most popular pet parrot in the world. They were discovered by Europeans in Australia back in the mid-1800s and their fame spread fast!
Wild budgies are extremely nomadic and live in flocks which can contain over 100 strong if food is plentiful. They are usually found throughout the drier parts of Australia and have survived for the last five million years in the harsh inland conditions of that continent.
Parakeet color variations and domestication
People started breeding budgie parakeets in captivity as early as 1850 which makes them some of the first parrots to be successfully bred and fully domesticated. Their natural coloring is mostly green and yellow but breeders have been able to produce a wide variety of colors today. Blue budgies simply lack yellow pigment, yellow budgies lack the blue coloration, and white budgies obviously lack all coloration.
Captive birds can sometimes survive in feral groups if released into the wild. They once had a decent strong hold in Florida. This of course should never be done intentionally because the introduction of a foreign species can cause havoc on a local ecosystem.
Budgie Parrot Talking Ability
All budgies can learn to mimic human speech if they spend a lot of one on one time with people. Budgies are considered one of the best talking parrots on the market. Males tend to be the better talking parrots and their skills put them up against the African Grey Parrot, the Amazon parrot, the Eclectus Parrot and the Ring-necked Parakeet.
A budgerigar named Puck holds the world record for the largest vocabulary of any bird, at 1,728 words. Puck, a male budgerigar owned by American Camille Jordan, died in 1994, with the record first appearing in the 1995 edition of Guinness World Records.
It’s important to note that many budgies are quite talkers unlike African Greys or Amazon Parrots that can be heard clearly. See the talking budgie videos below to learn how they sound.
Taming a budgie
Budgie Parakeets
Many people think that budgies are hands off birds that should stay in their cages. This myth is due to the way budgies are usually raised and sold. Many pet stores keep them in large groups and most breeders do not handle the young. These birds never get the chance to socialize with humans and tend to be frightened of them. To cure an old bird of this may be tricky but it’s possible if you buy your birds one at a time. Work with the bird every day by feeding treats by hand until you gain the bird’s trust. Once your bird comes to you and lets you handle him, you can add another budgie if you would like.
Budgies tend to be the best talkers when they are only allowed to socialize with humans and are kept away from other birds. Keep in mind that if you decide to go that route, you will need to spend at least 4 hours a day with your bird to give him the minimal social stimulation he needs.
Budgies are often over looked
Budgies have a reputation of being a ‘throw away pet’ or a ‘beginner bird’ for kids. This is, of course, a horrible way to think about any living creature, let alone a creature that is so intelligent, beautiful, and loving as a budgie. These are among the best pets a person could ever have.
Basic Care Info
Housing:
Not less than 76cm (30 in) long.
Enrichment:
Bathing; foot toys, destructible (non-toxic) toys, non-destructible (non-toxic plastic) toys, food-finder toys, preening toys, different texture and size hanging perch toys, fir branches, push-and-pull toys (sliding up and down), vegetable tanned leather toys.
Nest Box Size:
8″ x 6″ x 6″ (20.3cm x 15cm x 15cm) or 6″ x 6′ x 6″ (15cm x 15cm x 15cm) vertical box.
Clutch Size:
4 to 8
Incubation Time:
18 days
Fledging Age:
30 days
Further Reading
Cool Budgie Parakeet Videos
Budgie Parrot Talking Skills
How to Set up a cool Budgie Parakeet Cage
How to tell when your parakeet is sick
When you see a little budgie parakeet on sale for $15 you might think to your self “Hey I can afford that even on my college kid budget!”
It’s important to remember, however, that there is a lot more to keeping a pet then what you might think. Our calculations show that the average budgie ends up costing between $300- $500 a year to keep fed and happy.
The costs involved in parrot keeping range greatly depending on what kind of parrot, or parrots, you decide to get. Below we will give you list of items you’ll need for your parrot and a basic price breakdown for those items. You’ll see the price of the item if buying for a little Budgie Parakeet, and then the price if buying for a large Macaw. The price differences involved are mainly due to the size of the bird.
The Parrot itself
Parrots range in price depending on species, age, whether or not it is tame and, of course, good old supply and demand.
- Price for a Budgie Parakeet: $20-$50
- Price for a Macaw: $1,000 – $10,000 depending on the species
The Parrot Cage
When it comes to cages, bigger is better. Parrots are not gold fish, you cant just set up an enclosure for them in the living room and expect them to be happy little house ornaments. Natural selection has developed your parrot’s body and mind over millions of years to be fit for life in the wide open wilderness. That said, even your bird can be happy with a cage as long as he gets plenty of stimulation and play time out of the cage to get good exercise.
Some people will dedicate an entire room of the house to their bird in order to give him more freedom, others build large aviaries that allow their birds the freedom to fly freely inside their cage. Unfortunately most Americans who live in apartments can’t do this sort of thing so a good cage will have to do. Learn more about parrot cage selection here
- Cage price for a Budgie Parakeet: $35 – $100
- Cage Price for a large Macaw: $450 – over $1,000
Cage Lining
Just use newspaper. Most black newspaper inks are soy based and cant hurt your bird. Some people claim that colored inks can be harmful so I recommend you stay away from that.
You can also use paper towels if you don’t get the paper but I don’t recommend going out and buying any pet bedding. Its a waist of money in my opinion.
Parrot Food
Your bird will eat a lot of food for how small he or she is, and you’ll quickly notice that most of the food it “eats” ends up being ground to powder and falling wastefully on the floor. Your bird should be eating a combonation of bird pellets, fresh fruits and vegetables, and nuts. You will want to make sure and give your bird a variety of foods and treats to stay good and healthy.
Diet varies from species to species so make sure you know what your bird is supposed to be eating. You can learn more about parrot food here.
- Monthly food bill for a small Budgie Parakeet: $10 – $20
- Monthly food bill for a large Macaw: $30 – $60
Parrot Toys
Your bird needs things to do while he’s sitting in his cage and waiting for you to play with him. Wild birds spend 4 to 8 hours a day foraging for food. The average parrot spends his foraging time flying around in search of things to eat, chewing things to pieces to see whats edible, and fighting over the good stuff with his buddies. As a result, parrots are naturally curious, playful, and monstrously destructive. Your parrot needs toys that he can rip to shreds.
Toys should be frequently replaced as they become tattered and when your parrot grows board of playing with the same old thing over and over again. Learn more about parrot toys here.
- Monthly toy bill for a small Budgie Parakeet: $10 – $20
- Monthly toy bill for a large Macaw: $20 – $40
Cleaning Supplies
Parrots make constant messes. You’ll need the following basic items to keep your self sain:
- Dust pan with brush: $8
- Reusable rags cleaning up messes: $5
- Carpet Cleaner for spills and poos: $5
Some people use paper towels instead of reusable rags but that’s simply a waist of paper and the money spent will add up fast. These guys are that messy!
You may also want a hand held vacuum if you have a lot of carpet in your house. Read more about keeping your parrot clean here.
Parrot Veterinary Exams
In order to prevent health problems, you should see an avian certified veterinarian once a year for a routine checkup. I know that sounds silly to most of us who don’t even seen a doctor for our selves once a year but avian health is tricky to monitor on your own.
If you ever notice your bird acting strange, you should see a vet right away. Once a bird starts showing signs of illness, death can often follow very quickly if not treated.
Typical vet exam for any kind of parrot: $50-$75
Typical vet exam if the bird is sick and needs testing or medication: $200-$500
Sound Proofing
If you have a large parrot in your house like a Macaw, or a small loud parrot like a Sun Conure, you may want to think about sound proofing the rooms they will be staying in. That can be spendy but will make life much more enjoyable, especially if you have neighbors or roommates who don’t love your bird as much as you do.
Total Costs for owning a small parrot:
- Initial costs totaled together: $73 – $168
- Annual recurring costs: $315 – $555
Total Costs for owning a large parrot:
- Initial costs totaled together: $1,468 – $11,010
- Annual costs: $650 – $1,275
