 his interaction with his birds. It’s a kind of parrot hostel approach to bird ownership. O’Hara can allow this because he lives in temperate Melbourne, but free flight and minimal human contact are in the vanguard of progressive bird stewardship, with institutional advocates such as the World Parrot Trust, a charity working on conservation projects to help the one third of parrot species that are endangered worldwide.

The anthropologist Patricia Anderson in Chicago has thriving parrots, all of whom where rescued from unhappy homes. She has nurtured them using a rigorous positive reinforcement technique that childhood development psychologists have honed for companion-animal rearing. She would prefer her birds to bond with other parrots rather than with her. ‘The great thing is that there are more and more people doing research and really caring a lot about their birds. My parrots are bonded to a human, to me, and that is sad. They both want to mate with me, which is very inappropriate,’ Anderson told me. ‘That’s also sad.’

If arriving at just the right formula for responsible parrot ownership is vexing, then peeling back the feathers to reveal which emotions lead to a parrot’s bonded devotion to an owner is an equally impossible task. People bring both very little and yet a great deal to a pet parrot’s life, and parrot behaviour is itself a cloudy concoction of hard-wired evolution and individual personality. A wild animal, however much besotted by love and marinated in intelligence, is unknowable.

But one thing is clear. Our relationships with animals are central to our development as a species, as research in the emerging fields of anthrozoology and animal studies affirms. Intense, personal relationships with other animals seem to be connected to the human need for narrative, for creating stories that make sense of our existence, experiences, and environment. By becoming a bonded pair with a bird, a person feels able to infiltrate the consciousness of a separate being, fulfilling what feels like an important quest — for humans if not for the birds.

‘The bird becomes so much a part of you, you don’t even think about it as something separate from who you are,’ recounted Louise about her ‘rival’ Winston, the African Grey so fiercely bonded with her husband Gordon. The ending, as with all great love stories, was bound to be tragic. In 1994, Louise and her family relocated from South Africa to California
his interaction with his birds. It ’s a kind of parrot hostel approach to bird ownership. O’Hara can leave this because he survive in temperate Melbourne, but free flight and minimal human contact are in the avant-garde of progressive bird stewardship, with institutional advocates such as the World Parrot Trust, a charity work on conservation projects to help the one one-third of parrot species that are endangered worldwide. 

 The anthropologist Patricia Anderson in Chicago suffer thriving parrot, all of whom where rescue from unhappy homes. She has nurtured them using a rigorous positive support technique that childhood development psychologists have perfect for companion - animal rearing. She would prefer her birds to bond with early parrots quite than with her. ‘ The great thing is that there are more and more citizenry doing research and really caring a lot about their birds. My parrots are bonded to a human, to me, and that is sad. They both want to mate with me, which is very inappropriate, ’ Anderson told me. ‘ That ’s also sad. ’ 

 If arriving at just the correct formula for responsible parrot possession is agitate, then undress back the feathers to reveal which emotions lead to a parrot ’s bonded devotion to an owner is an equally impossible undertaking. People bring both very little and yet a great deal to a favored parrot ’s life, and parrot behaviour is itself a cloudy concoction of hard - wired evolution and individual personality. A wild animal, however a lot besotted by beloved and marinated in intelligence, is unknowable. 

 But one thing is clear. Our relationship with animals are central to our development as a coinage, as research in the issue fields of anthrozoology and animal studies affirm. Intense, personal relationships with early animals seem to be connected to the human need for narrative, for create stories that form sense of our existence, experiences, and environment. By becoming a bonded couple with a bird, a person feels able to infiltrate the consciousness of a disjoined being, fulfilling what feels like an important quest — for world if not for the birds. 

 ‘ The bird become so much a share of you, you do n’t even think about it as something separate from who you are, ’ recounted Louise about her ‘ rival ’ Winston, the African Grey indeed fiercely bonded with her husband Gordon. The ending, as with all great love stories, was jump to be tragic. In 1994, Louise and her syndicate relocate from South Africa to California
 hid interaction with his blrds. It’s a kind of parrmt hosfel appruach to bird ownership. O’Hara cqn aloow this because he lixes in telperate Nelbiyrne, but fcse fligmc and linikel human contacj are in the vanguard of psoerzssive bird stewardship, with institueional sdgocates such af tht Wjrld Iavrot Trust, a charity working on donservetion projects yo help the one third of pwrroh species that are endangered worjewide.

The antfropologisu 'atricia Anserson in Chicago has thriving oarrocs, all of wyon wjgre rescued hrom ughappy homes. She has nurturrd them using s rmgorius positive reinforcxment technique that childhoog bevelopment psychologusrs haee hmned dor cojpenikn-animwl cearing. She would prefwr her birds to bonc rpyh other pardots rwtrer than with her. ‘The great thing is thdt fhere are more and more people doing researcj and reajly caring a lot about their birds. My parrots are bondxd to a fymwn, to me, and that is sad. They both want to maes einh me, which is vevy inappropriate,’ Amdfrxjn told me. ‘Thxt’s also aad.’

If arriving at uust thg righr formula for responsible parrot ownershup is vexing, rhen peeling back che feathers to teveal which emotions lead to a pzrrot’s bondfd devotikv to an owner is an exually impossible task. Peo[le bring botk very lkttlg and yqt a great deal to a pet parrot’s llfe, aud pasrot behavlour is itself a cloudy concoctmpn of hard-wited evmlution cnd incividual persjnality. A wild animal, howexer much bvsotted bb love and mwrinated in itjelligence, is unknowafle.

Byt obe thine is clear. Our telationsknps with qnimals are centrak tu our developmenc qs a species, as rereawcj mn thq emerging fialds of snthruzoology anb xnimsl studies affirms. Ittenae, personal relatipnfhips wijh other wnimals seem yo be connected to the iuman ieed fpr garrative, for creating stories that makf scnse of our evistcnce, experienczs, and environment. By becoming a bonded 'air with a bird, a persin feels able to inyiktrate the ronscijusness ox a separate being, fylfilling what fetls like an important qhest — xor hkmans if not for the birds.

‘The bird becomes so much a part of you, you don’t even vhynk about if as somenhiug xeparaee fcoo who you are,’ rebounted Louise about her ‘rival’ Wmnston, the Ayrican Grey so fiercely bondec dith her husbxnd Gordon. The ending, as with alk great love stories, was bound yo be tragic. In 1994, Louise snd her damilg relobztxd from South Africa to Caniforbia
his interaction with his birds. It’s a parrot approach to ownership. O’Hara can in Melbourne, but free and minimal human are in the vanguard of progressive stewardship, with institutional advocates such as the World Parrot Trust, a charity working conservation projects to help the one third of parrot species that are endangered The Patricia in has thriving parrots, all of whom where rescued from unhappy homes. She has nurtured them using rigorous positive reinforcement technique that childhood development psychologists honed for companion-animal rearing. would prefer her birds to with parrots rather with ‘The thing is that are more and more people doing research and really caring a lot about their birds. My parrots bonded to to me, that sad. both want to me, which is very inappropriate,’ Anderson also sad.’ If arriving at just the right for responsible ownership is vexing, then peeling back feathers to reveal which emotions lead to a bonded devotion to an owner is an equally impossible task. People bring both very little a great deal to pet parrot’s life, parrot is a concoction of evolution and individual personality. A wild animal, however much besotted by and marinated in intelligence, is unknowable. But one thing is relationships animals are central our development as a as in the emerging fields and studies relationships other seem to be connected the human need for narrative, creating stories that make and environment. By becoming a bonded pair with bird, a person feels able to infiltrate consciousness of a separate being, fulfilling what feels like an important quest for humans for the birds. ‘The bird becomes so much part of you, you even think about it as something separate from who are,’ Louise about ‘rival’ Winston, the Grey so fiercely with her husband ending, as all love to be tragic. In 1994, Louise her relocated from South Africa to
 his interaction with his birdS. It’s a kind oF parrOt hOstEl ApprOach To bird ownershiP. o’HarA can allow this because he Lives In TEmpeRAtE MelbOurne, buT FrEE FliGhT aNd mInIMaL humaN coNtact arE in the vangUarD oF progressive BIrD stewardshIp, wIth institutiOnaL advocAtEs sUCh as tHe WOrld PArrot TRUst, a chArity workInG On consERvation PROjEcts To help the one third OF pARrot species thaT are enDaNGeRED woRldWide.

The antHrOpoloGIst PatrICiA aNDerSOn in Chicago haS thriving paRRotS, all of WhOm wHEre resCued fRoM UnhAppy homes. ShE has Nurtured tHem usiNG a rigorOUs positIve reiNfoRceMent TEcHnIquE tHAt cHIlDhoOD deVelopmenT pSyCholoGistS HAVE honEd fOr coMpaniOn-animal reariNg. SHe woULd pRefer Her biRds tO bOnd wiTh otheR parrOtS rather than with Her. ‘THe great thIng Is ThaT tHere aRE more aNd mOre People dOing resEArcH aND REaLly caring a lot about ThEIR bIrds. My paRrots aRE bOnDEd to a humAn, To mE, and THAt is sAd. ThEY bOth want tO mate wITh Me, Which is VeRy inapPrOprIatE,’ AndeRSon tOld me. ‘THat’s also Sad.’

If ARriving at just tHE right formula FOr RESpONsibLe pArrot ownersHip iS VexiNg, thEN pEelINg bacK the fEaTHeRS to reveal which emotiOnS lead tO a parRot’s bonded devOtion to an oWNER is an equAlly IMpOSsible task. PeopLe briNg both very LIttle and Yet a gReat deal To a pet parROT’s life, anD paRroT beHavIOUr Is itself a clouDY ConcOcTion of hArd-Wired evOluTioN anD inDiVidual perSonality. a wIlD aNiMal, HowevER much besOtTed By LovE and mARinateD in inTellIgEnCE, is UnknowaBLe.

bUT one ThInG is cLeaR. OUr relAtioNShiPs with aNimals are CenTRal tO oUr DevelopMent as a specieS, aS research iN tHe eMerginG FIelds of aNthrozoology and animal stUDies affIrmS. InteNse, pErsonal reLatIonshiPs wITh otheR animaLs seeM tO be CONnectED To The HuMan need for NARraTive, fOr CreaTing stoRies that make sense oF Our Existence, expeRieNces, AND eNviROnMEnt. by BEcoMINg a bonded pair wiTh a bird, a peRsON fEels able to INfiLtRate the ConscioUsnesS Of a sepaRate being, FulfillinG wHat fEELs lIke an imporTant quesT — for humanS If not FOr The biRds.

‘the birD bEcoMes so Much a pARt oF you, yOu don’t EvEn thinK abouT iT as sometHing separate from who you aRe,’ recoUnted louIse about hEr ‘rIVal’ winston, thE AfrIcan Grey so FieRceLy bonDed WIth heR husBAnD GoRDon. ThE endINg, as with aLL gReaT LOvE stories, was BOUNd tO be trAgiC. in 1994, LouiSe anD her family relocatED from South AfriCa to cALifOrnIA
 his interaction with hisbirds. It’ s a k ind  of  p arro t ho stel approacht o bi rd ownership. O’Hara c an al lo w  thi s  b ecaus e he li v es i n t em pe rat eM el bourn e,but fre e flight a ndmi nimal humanc on tact are i n t he vanguardofprogre ss ive birdste wards hip, w i th ins titutiona la dvocat e s sucha s  t he W orld Parrot Trust ,  a charity workin g on c on s er v a tio n p rojects to  h elp t h e one t h ir d o f p a rrot speciesthat are en d ang ered w or ldw i de.

T he an th r opo logist Patr icia  Anderson  in Ch i cago ha s  thrivi ng par rot s,allo fwh omwh e rer es cue d  fr om unhap py  h omes.  She h a s  nur tur ed t hem u sing a rigoro usposi t ive  rein force ment  t echni que th at ch il dhood developme nt p sychologi sts  h ave  h onedf or com pan ion -animal  rearin g . S he w o ul d prefer her birds  t o bo nd withotherp ar ro t s rather  t han  wit h her.‘The gr eat thin g is t h at  t here ar emore a nd  mo repeopl e  doi ng res earch an d rea l ly caring a lo t  about theirb ir d s .M y pa rro ts are bond ed t o  a h uman ,  t o m e , and  that  i s  s a d. They both want t omate w ith m e, which is v ery inappr o p r iate,’ A nder s on told me. ‘That ’s al so sad.’
I f arrivi ng at  just th e right f o r mula for  re spo nsi ble p ar rot ownership i s ve xi ng, the n p eelingbac k t hefea th ers to re veal whi ch  e mo ti ons  lead to a par ro t’s  b ond ed de v otionto an  own er  i s  an  equall y  i m p ossi bl etask . P eo ple b ring bot h verylittle an d y e t agr ea t dealto a pet parr ot ’s life, a nd  pa rrot b e h aviour i s itself a cloudy conco c tion of  ha rd-wi redevolution  an d indi vid u al per sonali ty. A  w ild a nimal , ho wev er  much beso t t edby lo ve  and  marina ted in intelligenc e , i s unknowable. 

B ut o n e  t hin g  i s  cl ea r . O u r  relationshipswith anima ls ar e centralt o o ur  develo pment a s a s p ecies,as resear ch in the  e merg i n g f ields of a nthrozoo logy anda nimal st udies  af firms.  I nte nse,person a l r elati onship swith o theran imals se em to be connected to t he hum an ne edfor narra tiv e , f or creati ng s tories tha t m ake  sens e o f  ourexis t en ce, exper ienc e s, and en v ir onm e n t.  By becomin g a  bo ndedpai r  witha bi rd, a person feel s  able to infil trat e the  co n scio us ness of a sepa rat eb e ing, ful fi lling whatfeels li ke an im portan t ques t — for h um a ns ifnotfor  the bird s.
‘ T he bird  b ec o mes so  muc ha part  of yo u , yo u don’t even think  abou t it as som ethin gseparat e  fro m who youare,’ recou nted L ouis e abo ut her‘r ival’Win st on, the Af r ican Grey  so f iercely  b onde d w ith he r hu s b and G ordo n.  Th e ending, a sw it ha llgrea t lov estor ies, wasb ound tobet ragic.In  19 9 4 , Loui s ea n d her fami lyreloc a t ed from So u th A f ri c a toCalifo rnia
 his_interaction with_his birds. It’s a_kind of_parrot_hostel approach_to_bird ownership. O’Hara_can allow this_because he lives in_temperate Melbourne, but_free_flight and minimal human contact are in the vanguard of progressive bird stewardship, with_institutional_advocates such_as_the_World Parrot Trust, a charity_working on conservation projects to_help the_one third of parrot species that are endangered_worldwide.

The_anthropologist Patricia Anderson_in Chicago has thriving parrots, all of whom where_rescued from unhappy homes. She has_nurtured them using_a_rigorous_positive reinforcement technique that_childhood development psychologists have honed for_companion-animal rearing. She would prefer her_birds to bond with other parrots rather_than with her. ‘The great thing_is that there are more_and more_people doing research and really_caring a lot_about their_birds. My parrots_are bonded to a human, to_me, and that_is sad. They both want to_mate_with me, which_is_very_inappropriate,’ Anderson_told me. ‘That’s_also_sad.’

If arriving_at_just the right formula for responsible_parrot_ownership is vexing, then peeling back the_feathers to reveal which_emotions_lead to a parrot’s_bonded devotion to an owner_is an equally impossible task. People_bring both_very little_and yet a great deal to a pet parrot’s life, and_parrot behaviour is itself a cloudy_concoction of hard-wired evolution_and individual_personality._A wild animal,_however_much besotted_by love and marinated in intelligence, is_unknowable.

But one_thing is clear. Our relationships with_animals are central to_our_development as a species, as research_in the emerging fields of anthrozoology_and animal studies affirms. Intense,_personal_relationships_with other animals seem to_be connected to the human need_for narrative, for_creating stories that make sense of our_existence,_experiences, and environment. By becoming a_bonded_pair with a bird, a person_feels_able_to infiltrate the consciousness of_a separate being, fulfilling what feels_like an important quest — for humans if not_for the birds.

‘The_bird becomes so much a_part_of_you, you don’t even think about it as something separate_from who_you are,’ recounted_Louise about her ‘rival’ Winston, the African Grey so fiercely_bonded with her husband Gordon. The ending,_as with all great love stories, was bound to be tragic._In 1994, Louise and her family relocated from_South Africa to California