Wild-caught parrots for the pet trade experience catastrophic mortality; captive parrots have complex behavioral needs that are often unmet in private ownership.
Parrots are among the most cognitively complex and socially dependent animals kept as pets. Their welfare needs - extensive foraging time, social interaction, vocal expression, and complex problem-solving - are rarely met in private ownership. The result is epidemic behavioral disorders including feather destruction, repetitive screaming, and self-mutilation that represent significant chronic suffering in millions of captive birds worldwide.