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Post by quakerfriend on Jun 15, 2015 10:20:06 GMT -5
I found one the other day...this is what happened. Thought I'd share.  nomnomnom |
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Post by aaron on Jun 15, 2015 10:37:58 GMT -5
I have been to one of these! Specifically, the "landing zone" at Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck, NC! That isn't where this was taken is it?
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Post by msdani1981 on Jun 17, 2015 19:37:38 GMT -5
Yes! The one in Seattle has budgies, cockatiels and rosellas. The budgies are the most social.  |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jun 17, 2015 20:24:28 GMT -5
Just as an aside, cockatiels and budgies live in the arid inland areas of Australia. I see Rosellas in the metropolitan area. Lorikeets also lived inland but due to the drought years, moved across the ranges into the suburban areas of the cities. Cockatoos, galahs, etc. also did the same thing. You never feed the larger parrots as if you miss a couple of feedings and you live in a wooden house or there is any wood on your house, they will eat the wood of your house. People like to feed the lorikeets with things like sugar water which is so wrong and is thought to cause a myriad of problems with them. I used to band rehabilitated birds so cant get a bit boring at times - but I do love our Aussie birds and consider myself very lucky to see so many in the wild. I remember many years ago getting a train into the country and a cockatoo flying beside the train for a few seconds. I realised what a magnificant bird they were and what a shame to keep them in such small cages.
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Post by aaron on Jun 17, 2015 22:24:47 GMT -5
Yeah the Aussie bird spectrum is really pretty amazing. I am super jealous. Feeding the lorikeets with sugar water is really messed up  It is a shame to keep these magnificent birds in cages. All of them. But I do love them, and for our birds that's the hand they were dealt, so we give them the best home we can. I've said before that I don't really feel like humans should keep birds as pets, but I don't really see that changing in our society, so we (birds and humans) make the most of it, and I do think many of our captive friends have genuinely happy lives.. But they are clearly not meant for captivity. |
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Post by Jan and Shah on Jun 17, 2015 23:23:39 GMT -5
Aaron, I have seen cockatoos in tiny, tiny cages with a chain around one of their legs so they cant fly away. It upsets me greatly. At the end of the day, I dont mind if people have the larger parrots as pets as most parronts give their charges a good life. What really upsets me is when they are trapped in the wild and then stuck in a tiny aviary to breed. And dont get me started on the illegal trafficking of Australian native wildlife!!!!
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Post by aaron on Jun 18, 2015 9:37:57 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm not judging anyone for having parrots as pets, certainly not. Just from a philosophical standpoint, I think it would probably be better for everyone if humans had stuck with dogs and cats. But that's not how it went. I agree that many parronts do a great job and I think their birds are happy critters. I agree that the idea of capturing a wild parrot for breeding and shoved in an aviary is abhorrent. There's so much messed up stuff out there when it comes to the dark side of how birds are treated in captivity. It's definitely very sad. I don't know how people live with themselves doing that kind of thing. |
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Post by easttex on Jun 18, 2015 10:47:39 GMT -5
I agree, Aaron. It is what it is, and I wouldn't trade any of my birds for anything, but I doubt that we're doing them any favors when we put them in these totally unnatural environments. My way of assuaging my own guilty feelings is to take in rehomed birds only, but that is me, and I don't think any less of anyone who does otherwise. They're such wonderful companions, and, ironically, I think they can make people more thoughtful about nature.
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Post by quakerfriend on Jun 18, 2015 14:48:54 GMT -5
I once read about a kid who climbed a tree to get a galah from its nest, hand raised it, then became bored because galahs are apparently too common wherever he was. (Boy would I love to have that problem!) He asked the pet shop for a trade, and I guess wanted 2 parakeets and some other little bird that I don't remember more. I always found it a bit funny how the large 'toos are sort of commonplace nuisances. I think in the US they're valued a bit more, just because they're rare and worth a lot. So maybe they're treated differently in different countries - here, I don't think anyone would dream of having one on a chain. Hopefully because they're a loved family member, but in other cases it might just be to 'protect the investment'.
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Post by aaron on Jun 18, 2015 16:22:14 GMT -5
Agreed... And while we're at it, us humans could use a little less of the unnatural in our environments too. I too feel a lot of guilt about having a captive bird, and if I ever was to get another parrot I would only consider a rehomed one. But they do make wonderful companions, and Cupcake has certainly had that effect on me (being more thoughtful about nature).
Quakerfriend, I'd like to think things are better here, but I'd imagine people do all kinds of awful things to their birds here too... While I haven't personally heard of a chained bird here, I think animal cruelty is pretty universal, and parrots, with their tendency to become unruly with owners that do not know what they are doing or are not attentive enough, are subject to a heartbreaking amount of abuse and neglect, all over the place.
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Post by quakerfriend on Jun 18, 2015 16:37:47 GMT -5
Parrots certainly make you think about the food you eat, that's for sure. What with watching out for organic and non GMO...
Maybe I should have phrased this better...I'm well aware animal cruelty is universal. What I was trying to say was - maybe some animals, and in some places are more susceptible. Especially cockatoos.
For instance - if one bird is eating crops and being a total nuisance to everyone, it might be viewed as 'less valuable' than a 4,000 dollar imported bird.
This thread is turning into a very depressing discussion..
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Post by aaron on Jun 18, 2015 23:42:15 GMT -5
Haha yeah we got a little off topic. Sigh.
Ah, I see what you were saying. That's a good point.
Where was the original photo taken?
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jun 19, 2015 10:17:46 GMT -5
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Post by quakerfriend on Jun 19, 2015 14:45:52 GMT -5
This picture is from Wildwood Wildlife Park, in northern WI. When we go on vacations I always make sure to check out the zoo (and of course buy some souvenirs from the pet shop haha), if there's one nearby.
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