Call of the wild

Who will save parrots in the wild?
Aviculturists may be our best, last hope.

A curious red-necked Amazon, one of several species of parrots whose habitat the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation works to protect, peers into the camera. (Photo courtesy RSCF.)

HOW MANY OF us have been entertained by the antics of a parrot serenading himself in a mirror?

When I was a child, my parents raised budgies, and we always kept one in an ornate cage in our kitchen window. I especially remember a blue male named Charlie - one of my father’s favorites.

Charlie had the requisite Weeble penguin toy, the hanging bell, and of course, a mirror. He spent countless hours fluffing, preening, and puking on his own irresistible image. We all found this behavior hilarious except for my mother, who was responsible for defending herself from Charlie's furious attacks whenever she tried to remove the mirror to clean it.

Twenty-five years and a career in conservation biology later, I find myself reflecting on Charlie’s love affair with his image a little differently. I now wonder just what Charlie saw when he looked into that mirror. A fine specimen of a parrot, no doubt. But I wonder if he didn’t also see something else, something wild - perhaps a reflection straight out of the Australian bush.

50 parrot species = 500 million acres
Parrots are wild animals, whether they're macaws winging through the rainforest or a caged budgie like my good friend Charlie. Anyone who has witnessed the pupil dilation, tail flaring and wing-spreading of a pet yellow-nape Amazon will surely agree these birds are wild, even if 10 seconds earlier they were kissing you on the lips and crooning "I wuv you."

This wild behavior should remind us we're lucky to be sharing our lives with parrots. Historically, no other group of captive-held wildlife has had such a close and personal relationship with humans. But there's an even more important reason to recognize the fundamental link between captive and wild birds.

Parrots represent crucial areas of biodiversity around the world that are critical to our planet’s future and in turn, our own. Perhaps you've heard of this statistic: If 50 high-priority parrot species were protected, over 500 million acres of rainforest would also be protected. That's a lot of real estate filled with countless species of plants and animals besides parrots.

Every year thousands of parrots are bred, bought and sold around the world, with the bulk of the pet trade occurring in the United States. The aviculture industry - breeders and feed and supply manufacturers - take in make millions of dollars annually in this country - billions of dollars globally.

And yet few people who make living off pet parrots seem to recognize the importance of investing in the conservation of these species in the wild. Even groups claiming to support parrots seem to have a hard time allocating funds to conservation programs in any meaningful way.

Conservation forgotten
For example, the Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii) recently became extinct in the wild, thanks in part to petty politics and in-fighting among those trying to save it. In the meantime, the last remaining specimens of this bird are bought and sold for thousands of dollars around the world, hoarded like stolen art.

According to a published financial summary, in 1999 the American Federation of Aviculture spent $7,571 on conservation in - less than 2 percent of its revenue of $419,058. (The AFA did not return calls for more recent figures.)

By comparison, the AFA seems to have no problem doling out tens of thousands of dollars to other projects one might deem less important than maintaining in the wild the very creatures that give it reason for existence. For instance, in the same year, the AFA spent $72,614 on its annual conference and $160,266 to publish its magazine.

The zoological community also gives conservation short shrift. Zoos around the world have annual budgets totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, yet allocate less than one-tenth of one percent on conservation of any kind. I find this appalling.

Is it an education issue? I’m not sure. You can hardly turn on the television these days without seeing a documentary about global wildlife concerns. Newspapers, radio, and the Internet bombard us with a wealth of up-to-the-minute information.

More likely there's an intellectual gap in understanding the relationship between "Polly" and wild parrots. I don't think aviculturists who keep large numbers of parrots in captivity but haven’t experienced them in the wild are fully educated about the species they keep.

Intrinsic value
Don’t get me wrong: Private aviculture has, without a doubt, saved some species from extinction and has contributed a wealth of information and expertise to the art of captive breeding. Breeders have alleviated the pet trade's need for wild-caught parrots.

On the other hand, it's almost unfortunate aviculture has so successfully cracked the nut of captive breeding. With parrots in pet stores, living rooms, and backyards now commonplace to the point of being unremarkable, the issue of wild parrot conservation has become diluted.

The question is why hasn't the same avicultural community lobbied furiously to ensure these wild birds are protected? Who better to do it?

Some say it is simply an issue of dollars and cents. "If I can’t buy it and sell it, why do I want to protect it?" My answer is because that bird, that plant, that bug, that fungus has intrinsic value - value beyond monetary.

Take a look at your most cherished pet parrot. What is he or she worth to you? Yes, an African grey or a yellow-nape may sell for a thousand dollars, but what is Paco, Buddy, or Charlie worth to you, personally? I dare say that many of you would admit, at least to yourself, that no price can be put on that animal's head.

We must extend to wild birds the same priceless value or we will lose them and the rainforests forever. We will lose the only opportunity we have to give something back to wildlife that we have loved, used, and taken advantage of - even as we have profited from it.

Stepping up to the plate
I've heard many private aviculturists complain that there aren't enough good conservation organizations to support. I disagree.

There are many fine conservation groups desperate for funds to protect ecosystems around the world where parrots occur. Groups like mine (the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation) and Conservation International are but two. The World Parrot Trust focuses both on ecosystem preservation and captive breeding and research - talk about bang for the buck!

The bottom line is that aviculturists must decide which direction their multi-billion dollar industry will take on conservation. Certain individuals, organizations and businesses have the means to make a huge difference. A few have stepped up to the plate, with incredible results.

For instance, a private aviculturist helped the RSCF underwrite the creation of the 10,000-acre Morne Diablotin National Park on the island of Dominica, where the near-extinct Imperial Amazon (Amazona imperialis) is struggling to survive. This man recognized and seized the opportunity to do something immediate and tangible to preserve habitat for parrots. Who is going to be next?

We live in an age where space for nature has fallen to the bottom of the list--6.2 billion of us have seen to that. At the same time, parrots have been given many lofty titles, including "ambassadors of the rainforest," "flagship species," and "cultural icons," just to name a few.

It's time our actions matched our words. We have the opportunity to give something back - to protect and preserve wild spaces for nature.

The next time you find yourself eye-to-eye with a feathered friend, take a moment to really see that animal for what it is: a priceless wild treasure dependent upon you to ensure that others of its kind have the opportunity that it does not - to live free.

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