In honor of National Bird Day on Saturday, local avian advocates hope to emphasize the importance of education before taking a new feathered friend under your wing.
The ?holiday? was established 11 years ago by Born Free USA, an animal welfare and wildlife conservation group, to educate people about the plight of birds and improve care for the estimated 16.2 million birds kept as pets.
Far too often, bird lovers say, people are attracted by their beauty but haven?t done enough research about what owning a bird entails.
?This is a wild animal,? says Christine Pulsinelli, intake coordinator for Exotic Bird Rescue of Oregon. ?This is not something you just put in a corner and get out whenever you feel like it. It has to socially interact with the family, and it has to have attention on a daily basis.?
Behavioral issues are one major reason that people surrender birds, but understanding what drives their behavior may help resolve some of the most common issues.
?The majority of their behavior revolves around them getting something they want or getting away from something they don?t want,? says Kelly Ballance, a behavior and training consultant at Avian Medical Center in Lake Oswego.
Avoiding boredom can go a long way in preventing bad bird behavior.
Pulsinelli recommends spending at least two hours a day interacting with them outside of their cages, but birds need ways to amuse themselves in the cage as well.
?What birds really need is to learn how to play independently,? Ballance says. ?That?s probably one of the biggest gifts we can give them.?
Hard plastic baby toys, rope dog toys and scrap wood with string attached make good toys. Pulsinelli advises setting aside money in your monthly budget ? anywhere from anywhere from $5 to $50, depending on the kind of bird you have ? for enrichment.
Without enough stimulation, birds are at risk of self-destructive behaviors.
At Oregon Humane Society, housing three birds currently, the larger exotic birds that come to the shelter often arrive with stress-related conditions such as feather-plucking. That can be the result of a lack of attention and stimulation in their environment, says OHS investigations manager Linda Fielder.
Not only do they need to interact with toys and humans, birds are naturally inclined to seek out their food. In the wild, they may spend up to 70 percent of their time foraging.
?There are some bird species that spend five hours or more a day just looking for food, and we take all that away from them by giving it to them in a dish,? Ballance says. ?The more they forage, the more pleasant they are in my home.?
Puzzle toys that force them to seek out food are ideal, such as an empty toilet paper roll filled with confetti and a nut in the middle for a reward.
As for what to feed them, exotic birds require plenty of fresh produce, such as green vegetables, apples, or papayas, says Linda MacCoy of the Avian Protection League, a small nonprofit that helps injured or abandoned birds.
Exotic birds can also be incredibly loud (the decibel level of a Moluccan cockatoo?s shrieks has been compared to that of a jet engine).
They commonly chatter in the mornings and at night, making ?contact calls? to let each other know where they are.
?They?re very, very social creatures,? MacCoy says. ?Birds are flock creatures, and they live in groups.?
Another common issue is that birds often bond strongly with one family member and may feel threatened by the other family members. Pulsinelli took in one bird that repeatedly attacked his male owner?s wife and daughter. The man finally relinquished the bird after his wife kicked him out.
Trimming the bird?s wings may have helped prevent it from attacking, she says. Another way to curb this behavior is to have the other family members curry favor from the bird by offering its favorite treats.
Birds are highly sensitive to stress in the home and can pick up on someone?s negative emotions.
?I tell people in my bird care class, ?You?re not allowed to fight in front of the birds? because as soon as the voices start rising, they?re going to out-scream you,? Pulsinelli says. ?I tell people, ?These are your peace-makers.?
Birds also have a very long lifespan. Smaller birds such as cockatiels can live from 12 to 15 years, but larger birds like parrots and macaws can live from 60 to 100 years.
If you decide to adopt a bird, consider including them in your end-of-life planning; relatives aren?t always equipped to take on their loved one?s feathered family members.
Also consider that large birds such as macaws aren?t ideal for small children; they can be rough without meaning to be. A cockatiel might be a better option for a family pet.
If you have an issue with your bird, consider taking a class or asking for help before giving it up.
?Let us help you keep your bird,? says Pulsinelli of Exotic Bird Rescue of Oregon. ?Because these guys, as much work and trouble as they are, bring a lot of love and enjoyment into your life.?
If you want to help:
Donate to or volunteer to foster a bird for Exotic Bird Rescue of Oregon: 541-461-4333 or visit RescueBird.com.
If you need help:
The Avian Medical Center?offers a class addressing bird biting, 2-5 p.m. on Jan. 12 or Feb. 9 at the clinic, 15952 S.W. Quarry Road in Lake Oswego.
The center also offers a class on parrot training and problem solving, 2-5 p.m. Jan. 19 or March 2.
Cost: $45 per clinic; call the clinic to register at 503-635-5672 or visit avianmedicalcenter.net for more information.
The clinic also provides private consultations for $60 an hour.
Exotic Bird Rescue of Oregon also offers monthly classes in Gresham, Hollywood and Tigard. Visit RescueBird.com for more information.
The Avian Protection League offers support and help for bird owners.
?The Parrot Enrichment Activity Book? by Kris Porter is a free online book that offers ideas for entertaining birds. Find it at parrotenrichment.com.
Visit goodbirdinc.com, an online resource for bird owners.
--Monique Balas
Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/pets/index.ssf/2013/01/pet_talk_education_is_key_when.html
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