As humans, we often elevate ourselves above other creatures, presuming the right to confine them within cages and label them “pets.” These majestic creatures deserve lives of freedom, not confinement. Wild capture and collection is still a major issue and is driven almost entirely by the pet trade. Imagine a 20-year-old creature being taken from his / her mate after a decade of foraging, nesting, and rearing chicks together. Imagine chicks being stolen from a nest. Imagine your reaction, as a parent or lover, being in the position of a captured parrot. Please, please, please never purchase a bird. These creatures deserve to feel the wind in the wings and the freedom of their native homes.
Mealy Parrots photographed in Costa Rica’s wild Osa Peninsula.