Companion parrots live for decades and have cognitive needs comparable to young children; most captive parrots are housed in conditions that cause chronic psychological suffering.
The parrot welfare crisis is hidden inside millions of homes. Parrots surrendered to sanctuaries arrive with feather destruction, self-mutilation, screaming disorders, aggression, and severe attachment disorders from repeated rehoming. They are cognitively equipped to master the concept of zero, use referential language, and solve multi-step puzzles — then housed in a cage with a mirror and a bell. The mismatch between parrot intelligence and standard captive conditions produces suffering that can persist for the bird's multi-decade lifetime.