Companion birds are treasured because of the close bonds that humans form with them and vice versa. One of the great joys of working in a bird veterinary practice is the privilege of seeing the different types of reciprocal relationships that birds and people form. While we may be separated by 315 million years of separate evolution, like us, some parrots and cockatoo not only mimic but also speak in context. No dog or cat veterinarian has ever had one of their patients hop on the table and say “Hello Dr Pat” ….but it happens to bird vets.
These bond can come at a cost, feather destructive behaviour and reproductive issues are sometimes associated with misplaced close human-bird relationships. These articles explain some of the challenges of pet bird ownership.
