Liketheothercaptivebirdspicturedinthisarticle,thisAlexandrineparakeethasanIDringonits leg.

StayingOneStep Ahead

CITESfacesotherchallengestoprotectingparrots.Mostcaptive‑bornchickshaveanIDring.Itisplacedontheirlegs.Sometradershavefiguredouthowtoputtheseringsonwildbirds.So,wecan’ttellthe difference.

Howdowestayonestepaheadofthecriminals?Scientistsareworkingonatest.Itwouldhelpdetermineifabirdiswildornot.Abreeder,petbuyer,orairportinspectorcouldtakeabloodorskinsamplefromabird.Itwouldshowwherethebirdcamefrom.Anothertestcouldexaminechemicalsinparrotfeathers.Itwouldshowwhataparroteatsandwhereitcomes from.

Therehasbeensomeprogress.ThePuertoRicanparrot,oncedownto13,nownumbersinthehundreds—thankstocaptive‑breeding programs.


Conservationistssaythatpeopleneedtounderstandtheriskstothesebirds.Theyareworth protecting.

green‑cheeked conures

What can you do to help?

1

Thinktwicebeforebuyinga bird.

Doyourresearchandmakesurethisistherightkindofpetforyou.Areyoupreparedtoberesponsiblefor it?

2

Ifyoualreadyhaveapetbird,giveitagood life.

Offerregularexerciseandplaywithyourparrot.Feeditfreshfruitsandvegetables.Scheduleregularcheckupswithyour vet.

3

Supportgroupshelpingbirds,like these:

• WorldParrotTrust
• ParrotsInternational
• WildBirdTrust
• BirdLife International

4

Learnmoreaboutcaptivebirdsandwildlife trafficking.

Starthere:
•humanesociety.org
•avianwelfare.org
•cites.org

5

Spreadthe word.

redfan parrot

Alex,the African Gray

IrenePepperbergisascientistwhostudiesthewayanimalslearn.In1976,sheboughtanAfricangrayparrotandnamedhimAlex.Shewantedtoteachhimafew words.

ShedidnotknowthatAlexwouldbeherpetformorethan30years.Shedidnotknowthat,together,sheandAlexwouldchangetheworld’sthinkingaboutparrots.Alex’svocabularygrewtomorethan100Englishwords.Healsocreatednewwordsofhis own!


Alexcoulddescribeobjects,shapes,andcolors.Hecoulddosimplemath.Andheunderstoodconceptssuchasnone,same/different,and bigger/smaller.


Alexprovedtotheworldthat“birdbrains”areprettybrightafter all.