Washington, D.C. — As part of The 14th annual National Bird Day on January 5, 2016, Born Free USA, a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation, in conjunction with Avian Welfare Coalition, is asking popular websites and the public to stop sharing online videos of birds in captivity. While seemingly entertaining, videos of captive parrots, parakeets, cockatoos, and other avian species inadvertently promote the myth that they are domesticated pets. The reality is that they are wild, intelligent animals with emotional and physical needs that cannot be met in captivity.[teaserbreak]
According to Adam M. Roberts, CEO of Born Free USA and Born Free Foundation, “Online footage of parrots in cages is increasingly problematic. With each social media share, people wrongly accept that these birds make for cute, low-maintenance pets. Not true. Even in homes where they are loved and pampered, birds are unable to exercise their natural, emotional, physical, and social behaviors for the many decades they are kept alive.”
Born Free USA is concerned that these videos are encouraging people to buy wild birds without understanding how complex their needs are. “The tragic result of such videos will be more wild animals suffering a lifetime of neglect, loneliness, and displacement. We understand and respect that millions of people already own wild birds; however, online videos simply do not tell the whole story,” Roberts adds.
Unlike dogs and cats who split from their wild ancestors tens of thousands of years ago, “pet” birds are no different from their wild relatives. They are not equipped for lives in captivity, best exemplified by the fact that pet birds often have their wings clipped and are kept in cages, denying them of their most basic instinct—flying.
Roberts explains, “When people post videos of beautiful birds doing silly things in captivity, oftentimes that bird is actually displaying distress, such as screaming and aggression or desperation by bonding with a human out of loneliness, when their natural need is to bond with others of their species—in some cases, a single mate for life.”
On January 5, Born Free USA is asking that popular websites like Buzzfeed, The Dodo, and The Animal Rescue Site, among others, remove captive bird videos, and that the public not share them. Roberts says, “These are all informative, entertaining, well-intentioned websites and we hope they will respect wildlife and take action. National Bird Day is a time to celebrate birds for the true wild animals they are. Think outside the cage by viewing and sharing live webcams and videos of birds in the wild, or simply go outside and enjoy native birds!”
For more information on how to celebrate the wildness of all birds and to help birds who are in captivity, please visit www.nationalbirdday.org. For bird owners looking for support, visit http://nationalbirdday.org/a_happy_bird.php.
Born Free USA is a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic “pets,” trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free USA brings to America the message of “compassionate conservation”—the vision of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film Born Free, along with their son, Will Travers. Born Free’s mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. More at www.bornfreeusa.org, www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa, and www.facebook.com/bornfreeusa.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203/270-8929, therodicompany@gmail.com