Wild parrots and other birds spend the majority of their waking hours foraging, and captive birds without foraging enrichment suffer behavioral and psychological deprivation.
Food provision without foraging opportunity removes the primary occupation that structures a wild birds day. Captive birds without foraging enrichment have hours of unoccupied time that manifest as boredom, frustration, and destructive behaviors. Foraging enrichment is not optional but fundamental to bird welfare.