Parrot Recreation

Prepared for the Phoenix Landing

Foundation
Diversions
Playgrounds
Puzzles

Michelle Czaikowski, 2008

Today’s agenda

•Introductions
• What is one thing
you hope to learn
today?
•A day in the life of a wild
parrot
•Our roles in caring for
our parrots
•Activities Plans
•Evaluation criteria for
playgrounds and
enrichment items
•Playground showcase
•Planning Playgrounds
based on Activities Plans
•Wrap-Up
A Day in the Life of a Wild
Parrot
We cannot recreate a
parrot’s natural
environment in its
entirety, but we look to
it for inspiration and
possible insight.
They awake from their
roosts with the sun’s
predawn ultraviolet
rays .

Depending on a bird’s
species, continent and
the time of the year,
roosting for the night
may have occurred in
large, interspecies
groups, or in small
homogenous flocks of
1 – 4 birds.
Many parrot species* are most active
between the hours of 6:30a.m. –
9:30a.m. During this time, they forage
for food, fly, walk…
*Some smaller parrot species, like the Brotogeris parakeets, are most active between
1:00p.m. – 3:00p.m.
Parrots usually spend
the hottest part of the
day resting, grooming,
and socializing.
After the hottest part of the day,
parrots have another burst of activity
(foraging, flying, etc.) in the later part
of the afternoon.
The birds return again to their evening
roosts around sunset.
There are threats to a parrot’s day
to day survival in the wild. Because
birds are prey animals, they are
hard wired to be aware of their
surrounding and potential danger
throughout the day.
Parrots have evolved into great problem
solvers.
Foraging for food 70% of their waking hours and always
being alert to potential predators have made them highly
Birds’ Senses
•Vision - Very important sense for birds
•acuity 2 – 8 times greater than mammals
•Clear lens permits them to see ultraviolet light (mammals have
a yellow tinted lens that filters out these rays)
•Have tetrachromatic or pentatchromatic color vision, while
humans have trichromatic color vision

•Hearing & Vocalization - Also very important

•Bird calls are complex auditory signals
•Able to differentiate between types of contact calls and calls of
different individuals
•Non-predatory birds not believed to be good at localizing
sound
Birds’ Senses (Continued)
•Taste & Smell
•Parrots have between 300-400 taste buds (humans have
about 9,000)
•Response to different flavors varies
•Not much research has been done regarding smell, but it is
believed it is used to locate food, navigate, return to nesting
sites, reproduction, parenting and selecting nest material

•Touch
•Receptors for touch, heat and pain in skin and beak (including
feet)
•Some receptors are vibration sensitive

“Sensory Capacities of Parrots.” Manual of Parrot Behavior. Blackwell Publishing, 2006.

for us?

In our homes, parrots need

places to:
•Sleep & rest
•Forage/eat & drink
•Exercise
•Groom (preen, bathe)
•Socialize
•Escape to when feeling
threatened.
Additionally,
parrots also
need places that
provide:

•Variety
•Intellectual & visual
stimulation
•A safe (as possible)
environment
Our Roles
We wear many hats
simultaneously:

•Zookeeper
•Nutritionist
•Interior
Designer/Decorator
•Activities Director
•Safety inspector
•Trainer/coach
•Funding agent
 What is an Activities Plan?

An Activities Plan is a set of ideas and goals for providing a

physically and intellectually engaging environment based on
an analysis of current activities and surroundings.

An Activities Plan has several components.

•ASSESS: An assessment of a bird’s activities
•EVALUATE: Evaluation of the amount of time spent doing
activities
•CREATE GOALS: Creation of goals concerning a bird’s activity
level
•ASSESS: An assessment of a bird’s environment
•EVALUATE: Evaluation of a bird’s environment, current activity
level and activity goals considered.
•CREATE GOALS: Creation of goals concerning a bird’s
environment, based on current activity level and goals

You may base your bird’s playground on an Activities Plan.

All birds are individuals and activity levels and activities will
vary.
 This bird spends
about:
12 hours sleeping at
night
2 hours foraging
2 hours grooming
4 hours resting
4 hours
socializing/playing
Note: There is no equation for an “ideal
day” for all birds. It may vary by specific
birds’ needs, abilities, and personality.
 Creating an Activities
Plan
Based on the assessment,
evaluate & set goals

•If activity levels are ideal, brainstorm

variations in stimuli to maintain the
same level of activity. Or, increase
opportunities for those activities you
would like to see increased.
•Consider whether the current
opportunities and environment appeal
to your bird’s senses. (Different color
scheme? Better lighting? Add music?
Change music?)
•Implement changes with your bird’s
comfort level with change in mind.
(Change is good, but must be
implemented more slowly for some.)
•You may wish to keep a notebook or
electronic file with ideas for activities,
What is a Parrot
Playground?
PLANNING PLAY AREAS & ENRICHMENT
ITEMS
TWELVE EVAULUATION QUESTIONS

4.SAFETY: Is it safe for my bird?

5.INTELLECTUAL: Is it intellectually engaging?
6.SENSORY: Might it appeal to their senses?
7.FORAGING: Are there foraging opportunities?
8.CHEWING: Are there materials to chew/shred?
9.EXERCISE: Does it encourage movement?
10.INTERACTIVITY: Can they manipulate items? Are there areas to
socialize?

Additional criteria for play areas:

8. VARIETY: Is there variety?
9. PROTECTION: Are there multiple routes of escape in all areas?
10. PRIVACY: Is there a place to retreat from threats or others? A
place reserved for sleeping?
11. MAINTENANCE: Will I be able to maintain this?
 SAFETY: Is it safe for my bird?
•Nothing is 100% safe for every bird
•Know your bird. Not just what they use, but how they use it.
Monitor any new, creative uses for items.
•Check all items they have access to regularly for safety,
including rope strands, ceiling hooks, wing nuts on perches,
latches, etc.
SENSORY: Might it
appeal to their
senses?

•We can guess, based on

what our birds seem
drawn to
•Important to include
new textures, colors, etc.
•Color test may be done.
Preferred colors may
change.

What kinds of things

might be visually
interesting to your birds?

Do your birds enjoy

music? What kind?
Sensory Stimuli

Field trips! Depending on

your bird’s level of
socialization:
•To other rooms
•To the backyard
•Around the block
•To the bank/drive-
through
•To the farmer’s
market

You and your bird can

work your way up to more
exciting field trips.
INTELLECTUAL: Is it intellectually engaging?

•Have some items that present a challenge.

•Have others that are below their abilities, too. (Variety may
prevent frustration.)
•Training
•Games

What items can you think of that would be intellectually engaging?

Intellectual stimulation - Puzzles
Intellectual Stimulation
Read To Your Bird

Insert their
name into
stories and
songs
 Intellectual Stimulation
Training
•Added benefit of helping you and your bird to communicate
•Could be as little as 10 minutes a day

What might you start with?

•Targeting (go to a designated place)
•Step Up – onto your hand, onto a stick
•Tricks (wave, put an item in a bowl)
•Recall (for flighted)
•Songs
 Intellectual Stimulation
Games
•Vocalization games
•Peek-a-bird
•Hide and seek type games
(Note: Your bird should be
the “seeker.”)

You and your bird may

come up with games you
both enjoy collectively!

What games do you already

play with your birds?
FORAGING: Are there foraging
opportunities?

•May be one of the most important types of “intellectual”

opportunities since wild birds spend up to 70% of their
waking hours foraging.
•Great challenge for companion humans to come up with
new, creative foraging opportunities.
•Important to have variety in levels of difficulty.
Importance of foraging for birds has been
better brought to light throughout the pet
care industry after the release of Dr.
Echols’ Captive Foraging.

A “must see” for all companion

humans!
If your bird spends a
lot of waking hours in a
cage, consider viewing
his/her cage as an
“enclosed foraging
tree”.

•Start slow. Add

foraging options
gradually.
•Goal: Minimum of six
bowls or accessible
foraging toys and
additional ones that
are more challenging.
•Allow your bird a
“foraging free” sleep
area/zone/cage. Wild
birds do not naturally
forage where they
Bowls , plates, tubs, trays & buckets all make great
foraging toys.
My favorite easy,
inexpensive foraging
toys:

•3 oz bath size Dixie

cups
•Unbleached coffee
filters
•Unbleached paper
towels
•Eco Fiber, shredded
paper or another
“safe” bedding like
Aspen shavings
•Predrilled toy parts
This rope perch that is wrapped Threading a coffee filter through
in leather has leather strands the opening in some plastic
hanging off it. chain forms another simple
foraging toy.
Stainless steel skewers are Condiment cups may be
versatile toys. Food may made into foraging toys as
easily be speared or hidden well.
within a speared object.
Once they are accustomed to having to work to
retrieve food from foraging toys, make them work to
get to the foraging toys as well.
CHEWING: Are there materials to chew/shred?
•Parrots need things to destroy.
•Natural instinct to chew/shred is physically and mentally
beneficial.

What kinds of things are good for birds to have to shred/chew?

EXERCISE: Does It Encourage Movement?
•Does the item itself move? Does it promote balance and stability?
•Does it allow birds to easily access other items by flying, stretching,
or climbing to them?
•Does it permit cardiovascular activity?

What items encourage movement?

Most “hanging”
enrichment items
encourage movement
and balance:

Swings

Bungies/Boings

“Atoms/Orbits”

Climbing nets

Hanging gyms

Hanging Toys
Benefits of climbing nets
•May be used to connect different areas/play areas, in addition to
being a play area in itself. Provides choice.
•Choice it can provide is especially wonderful for birds with clipped
wings
•Encourages movement

Note: Just as with all rope toys, strands should be trimmed

regularly.
Sometimes exercise toys
will be simple items we
never would have
guessed would be used in
such a way!
Other places to move:
The floor (when safe, of
course!)

Playstands/Trees/Perches

Tabletops

Shelves
INTERACTIVITY: Can birds manipulate the items? Is
there a place for them to socialize?
Interact with toys, interact with others.

•Enrichment items may “do” something. (Have moveable parts,

buttons, etc.)
•Games
•Training

What items or opportunities for interacting does your bird have?

 Other Important Criteria in a Bird’s World
VARIETY: Is there Variety… In
Everything?

•“Birds need to go places.” Pam Clark

•Safe place for birds in every room possible.
•Variety provides choice, in toys, perches, food,
locations and other stimuli.
•Change is good (keeping your bird’s comfort level
with change in mind).
Take a stroll together!
Camping with birds!
PROTECTION: Are there multiple escape routes?
•Very important for areas shared with other birds/animals
•Also important for a bird’s mental health concerning
perceived threats (even if they cannot harm your bird.)
Should be able to “escape” from seeing animals outside the
window.
•No one should be cornered or trapped.
•Minimum of two entrances/exits. More is necessary if there
are more than two companion animals.
PRIVACY: Is there a place to hide
from threats or others? A place
reserved for sleeping?
•Birds are social animals, but still may
need some time/space away from
others.
•Because birds do not naturally forage
where they sleep, a separate space
reserved exclusively for sleeping is
ideal.
•Private/sleep locations still need
MAINTENANCE: Is the Playground
Sustainable?
•Routine cleaning
•Regular safety checks (threads, nuts, bolts, hooks,
etc.)
•Replacement of destroyed parts
•Rotating new materials, toys, perches into the area.
Find ways to make caring for your birds easier on
you!
•Serving tray to make
carrying food and supplies
easier
•Foraging toys might be kept
near the kitchen/bird food
•Keep extra toys accessible in
case you need to switch out
one that is soiled/starting to
look unsafe
•Extra set(s) of dishes, bowls,
bottles or foraging toys on
hand
•“Easy” foods may be kept for
those mornings you are
running late or need to go to
the grocery store
•Newspaper or chair mats
might make floor clean up
easier
•Keep cleaning supplies
inaccessible to birds but close
Playground Showcase

What do the following playgrounds do

well?
Photos & play gym by Donna
Dicksson.
Posted from Flickr with permission.
 Creating an Activities Plan
Plan your “ideal” bird area. You may
focus on one room/area or several.
Make sure elements from all criteria
are present and sufficient to
accommodate the targeted activity
levels.

What items would be rotated or

periodically embellished?

What elements might appeal to birds’

senses?

What games or puzzles will be

incorporated? Include any ideas for
foraging opportunities.

How will it be checked for safety and

maintained?

In groups, share your assessment

 Creating an Activities Plan
Sharing the highlights!

What ideas were discussed in your groups were inspiring?

What ideas might be implemented today when you go home?
What ideas might be implemented in the near future?
What creative games or puzzles were discussed? Foraging
opportunities?
 Where might you go for inspiration?
The people around you!

Educational workshops (like the ones put on

by Phoenix Landing)

Kris Porter wrote most of The Parrot

Enrichment Activity Book, version 2.0, and
compiled all of it. Many great ideas for
enrichment, foraging, training and much
more - all available for free!
http://www.phoenixlanding.org/PEAB_V2.pdf

Various print books, including:

Parrot Toys and Play Areas
by Carol D'Arezzo and Lauren Shannon-
Nunn.

Online - Web sites, Yahoo! Groups, Forums

& more

Remember to scrutinize all ideas provided

in this class, in books, online, etc. with your
bird’s safety in mind. Nothing is 100% safe
for every bird.
 Special thanks to:
Phoenix Landing supporters who contributed pictures:
Ann Brooks
Jane Krovetz
Kim in SC
Laura Ford
Rodney & Tamara Money

ThePerch.net members who contributed pictures and videos:

Birdlover (Jill)
BirdTrouble (Jamie)
Breelynne (Lynn)
Gbird (Gayla)
Gen120 (Victoria)
JamieO (Jamie O.)
Kristy
Love4Birds (Megan)
Montage (Christine)
Shadera
Shanta
Suncoast (Ginger)

Flickr users who agreed to let me use their pictures:

Adrian Royle
Cee (Carolyn)
JQuest1 (Ryan Archer)
OllieGirl (Donna Dicksson)