Many companion birds are highly social flock animals kept in isolation, leading to chronic psychological distress. Understanding and meeting their social needs is fundamental to good welfare.
Companion birds held in social isolation experience a form of chronic psychological deprivation that is difficult to compensate for through human interaction alone. The welfare cost of isolation is substantial - parrots are cognitively complex animals that evolved in constant social contact, and solitary housing creates a fundamental unmet need. Even highly attentive owners cannot fully replicate flock social dynamics. While some individual birds bond closely with humans, the default assumption should be that companion birds benefit from conspecific company. The exception is species or individuals with documented aggression, where careful behavioural assessment guides housing decisions.