Parrots are among the most cognitively sophisticated birds and the most widely traded, with the wild-caught trade largely illegal but ongoing, while captive-bred parrots in inappropriate captive conditions suffer significant welfare harm.
Parrot welfare in captivity is compromised by the fundamental mismatch between their cognitive complexity and the environments most owners can provide. African grey parrots denied appropriate social interaction, mental stimulation, and behavioural complexity develop feather-destructive behaviour, screaming, and stereotypic movements indicating severe psychological distress. Solitary housing of highly social species causes chronic loneliness analogous to that in humans. The wild parrot trade, where it persists, involves capture stress, high mortality during transport, and disorientation in captive environments. Parrot rescue centres are overwhelmed with surrendered birds whose owners underestimated their needs.