Parrots are highly social, intelligent birds evolved for flock living - captivity as solitary pets creates welfare challenges that require substantial commitment and expertise to address.
Companion parrot welfare is one of the most challenging areas of companion animal care because the animals' needs are so far from what a typical household can provide. Flock-evolved birds kept in social isolation need extraordinary amounts of human engagement to partially substitute for conspecific social bonds. Large, long-lived species represent 50+ year welfare commitments that outlast marriages, living situations and human priorities. Welfare organisations note that parrots frequently outlive their original owners and require rehoming multiple times - each transition carrying significant welfare costs. The welfare-optimal solution for potential parrot keepers is often to not get a parrot, or to adopt an older rescue bird that requires rehabilitation rather than starting with a young parrot.