Normal and Abnormal Parrot Behavior

Behavior and behavior-associated issues are an important part of psittacine medicine. However, many veterinarians have an approach to parrots from the basics of handling and restraint to their assessment of behavioral issues (e.g., feather plucking), that fails to take into account the importance of understanding a bird’s natural behavior in the wild, and how these actions can be adapted to optimize interactions between the bird and their human owners. Understanding how to influence parrot behavior by positive reinforcement rather than punishment is key to improving the welfare of these captive birds and their owners.