I had a thought....Maybe we should not think so much but

[KevinD]

These birds were never meant to be captured or sit in our houses, they were born to fly the skies of Africa, although it would be a much shorter existence then they enjoy in captivity.

 

They would never talk, because they would never hear the language, do you suppose we do them a disservice by keeping them and protecting them from an earlier death from predators in the wild at the expense of what we and they enjoy?

 

 

I dunno , just a thought. I know it's some deep thought LOL

[Talon]

This is a thought that I think most of us here have thought about at one time or another. I know I have, my birds were always a pet somewhere since they were born. They know nothing but living as a pet. In my opinion, letting them go free would be a disservice to them in so many ways..As much as they have wild instincts, they would never survive here in the wild when they only know the safety of their home and food and water being given to them on a daily basis. I am their flock, they would be lonely and lost, and would die very quickly....my job is to give them the best life I possibly can, protect them at all costs. And that is what I do each and every day.

my birds have the largest cafes possible, are out as much as possible, and I have built them an outdoor bird room that they can use when it's not winter.

 

Very interesting topic, there is one of theses in our archives, but it's buried too deep to find.

[KevinD]

Oh please don't think I would ever release Sukie into the wild again, what is done is done, and Ill care for him the rest of my life, but it was just a thought.

 

Sukei would be long dead and gone had we not rescued him, I just was thinking......i dunno

[KevinD]

You know what, I think I just answered my own thought LOL

[Talon]

You know what, I think I just answered my own thought LOL

 

 

i think it's thought provoking..will be interested to read what others post.

[Acappella]

I think birds breed in captivity that have never known "freedom" are fine where they are, as long as we're doing all we can to enrich and improve their living conditions. It's those birds still being wild trapped that my heart breaks for. Such a high percentage of them die, just so a few terrified birds can be sold into the pet trade. This practice should be stopped yesterday!

[birdhouse]

As the owner of a wild caught Grey for the past 30 yrs, I've had a lot of opportunity to think about this. I've come to believe there is no good answer. Just bad & worse ones.

 

First of all I think that it may soon be an academic question. Between human "progress" & climate change, many of the habitats that these species came from will cease to be able to support them. Many w/in our lifetime.

 

If it weren't for our selfish fascination w/certain species, they would join the long list of those now extinct. So all the individuals who suffered & died will have at least perpetuated their species, at least for the time being.

 

Those individuals, however, were as near as I can see on the receiving end of a prayer the devil answered. The huge percentage who have suffered & died is pretty serious indication that they don't "enjoy" captivity. That a very few are of just the right combination of adaptability to transition. Luck would likely have played a hand as well.

 

I also know that whether bred or caught very few birds' existence qualifies as any decent quality of life. Most of the world treats them like canaries, sticks them in undersized cages & uses them for display.

 

Those who some think of as lucky may manage to exist in isolation for a decade or more. But many will be gone w/in the same life time as their wild cousins. But they'll never again see another of their kind, let alone find their life's mate. Won't ever soar far above the earth. Will never have the freedom to explore acre after acre, after acre of rain forest for miles on end. Because it was decided that someone wanted to "keep" them, instead.

 

While the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 was coming into effect, some factions were pushing hard to ban the keeping of all caged birds. I read many, many of those articles. I did a lot of soul searching. At the time I believed in my heart of hearts that they were right. Most parrots live cruelly, w/sub standard housing, food & existence ...for double digit years. If it had been put to a vote, I honestly would have been willing to lose out on all the great things my fids bring to my life to save all the decades of suffering for all those millions of birds.

 

But it was never mine to vote on. And now, the world has changed. Now I feel like we're responsible to perpetuate these amazing creatures who will soon likely die out in the wild.

 

 

 

...just in a much, much more informed & conscientious way than we have in the past.

Edited September 17, 2017 by birdhouse

[Talon]

Birdhouse, although your post led me to tears...you are 100 percent right...as sad as that is...

[judygram]

I agree with Marguerite, our birds have never known anything but living with humans and if we provide them with what they want and need then they will be here for a long long time. I hate what has happened to the wild greys, being captured to be sold as pets with many of them dying before they even have a chance to be sold but sadly their native habitat is being destroyed and the only greys remaining some day may be the ones we kept as companions. So many species have died out because of our intrusion into their world.

[Greywings]

All species not just Grey parrots face these same issues. Now they even reproduce in captivity so from hatching they are accli9mated to our enviorns. We think of ourselves as enlightened people who keep birds perhaps some of birds helped us to be enlightened. Large caging, time loose in our homes interacting with family and friends at will. A cosmopolitan diet and amusements provided. Like poor little rich kids in a sheltered guilded life.

[Jayd]

These birds were never meant to be captured or sit in our houses, they were born to fly the skies of Africa, although it would be a much shorter existence then they enjoy in captivity.

 

They would never talk, because they would never hear the language, do you suppose we do them a disservice by keeping them and protecting them from an earlier death from predators in the wild at the expense of what we and they enjoy?

I dunno , just a thought. I know it's some deep thought LOL

 

Greetings, a noble subject. A short story: Our Amazon friends in their habitat live near native tribes, They learn the tribes language and coexist and feed with the natives and receive protection. It is true captive born Fids never lived in the wild, but by watching them you can see their wild instincts. Captivate birds watch the sky, have mating rituals etc Our Parrots are not domesticated yet, it;s passed on. If we can remember this, we could learn how to treat them better. Watch your Fid and learn..

Edited September 19, 2017 by Jayd