Alexis Highland and Avery Voress discuss a core truth of parrot behavior: parrots are prey animals, and humans are predators. In this episode, they unpack how that instinct shapes trust, handling, fear, and everyday behavior. From freezing and flying away to screaming and biting, many behaviors people label as “negative” are actually survival communication. This conversation explores how we can better understand our parrots, reduce fear and conflict, and build trust through safety, choice, predictability, and positive reinforcement. Don’t forget our species spotlight featuring the Indian Ringneck Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)!

—

Links:

Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com

Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/

Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars

Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars

Support the Parrot Stars Podcast! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support 

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the thrilling things happening at Parrot Stars! 

Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! Your support helps us with everything we do, and we genuinely appreciate it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

In this episode, Alexis and Avery dive into the meaning of conservation and how it connects directly to the parrot world, where nearly one in three species are endangered or at risk of extinction. Focusing on Central and South America, this conversation highlights two inspiring organizations working to protect some of the world’s most vulnerable macaws.

First, we explore The Bird Endowment’s Nido Adoptivo Blue-throated Macaw Project in Bolivia, which supports the critically endangered Blue-throated Macaw through nest boxes, habitat restoration, and community education. Alexis shares the hopeful progress being made for this rare species, including record fledging numbers and the growing cultural protection surrounding these birds.

Next, we look at Ara Manzanillo in Costa Rica and its work with the Great Green Macaw, a species pushed to the brink by habitat loss and poaching. Through rehabilitation, reintroduction, and artificial nesting programs, the project has helped increase both local and global Great Green Macaw populations.

Alexis also reflects on how conservation connects back to the Parrot Stars community, including a fundraiser that helped support Blue-throated Macaw conservation efforts from right here in the Chicago suburbs.

This episode is all about hope, action, and the power of people coming together to help parrots not just survive, but thrive.

If you want to learn more about or support either organization, you can visit them online at: https://www.birdendowment.org/about-nido-adoptivo and https://aramanzanillo.org.

Plus, discover the Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) in our species spotlight!

Always Remember: Be kind to your Parrot, and it will be kind to you!

—

Links:

Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com

Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/

Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars

Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars

Support the Parrot Stars Podcast! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support 

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the thrilling things happening at Parrot Stars! 

Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! Your support helps us with everything we do, and we genuinely appreciate it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

Most parrot emergencies aren’t random—they come from everyday household routines. In this episode, Alexis and Avery walk through the most common dangers parrots face inside our homes and explain how to build a simple, practical safety system that protects your bird. From air quality and kitchen hazards to doors, fans, other pets, and hidden risks in every room, they break down the biggest safety concerns parrot owners should know.

You’ll also learn how to bird-proof your home, create safer flight spaces, and prepare for emergencies before they happen. The goal isn’t fear—it’s prevention. By the end of the episode, you’ll be challenged to do a quick safety scan of your home and identify one simple change that can make your parrot safer today. Don’t forget our species spotlight featuring the Green Cheeked Conure (Pyrrhura molinae)!

Always Remember: Be kind to your Parrot, and it will be kind to you!

—-

Links:

Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com

Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/

Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars

Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars

Support the Parrot Stars Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support 

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the wonderful things happening at Parrot Stars! 

Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! Your support helps us with everything we do, and we genuinely appreciate it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

In this episode, our hosts Alexis and Avery share the bird experiences that shaped their lives—from childhood memories of backyard birds and farm chickens to serious birding, museum research, conservation studies, and Costa Rica. They reflect on the experiences that led them to work with parrots today. They reflect on the moments that deepened their passion for birds and discuss why education, conservation, and better care for parrots both in our homes and in the wild matter more than ever. Plus, a round of Two Truths and a Lie! Don’t forget our species spotlight featuring the Blue-Headed Pionus (Pionus menstruus)!

Always Remember: Be kind to your Parrot, and it will be kind to you!

—

Links:

Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com

Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/

Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars

Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars

OSU Museum of Biological Diversity: https://mbd.osu.edu/

North Central College: https://www.northcentralcollege.edu/

Support the Parrot Stars Podcast! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the thrilling things happening at Parrot Stars!

Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! Your support helps us with everything we do, and we genuinely appreciate it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

Listen now to learn how to match the right parrot to your home and set everyone up for long-term success.

Bringing a parrot home is exciting—but your living space plays a huge role in whether that relationship succeeds long term. Your home becomes your bird’s entire world, so noise, space, stimulation, and housing rules all matter more than people realize.

In this episode, our hosts Alexis Highland and Avery Voress talk about the realities of keeping parrots in apartments, condos, and single-family homes, including common challenges like noise complaints, limited space, overstimulation, and changing lease or HOA rules.

Our hosts also share practical tips to help you set up your home for success and choose a species that fits your environment.

The type of home you live in should influence which parrot species you choose—or whether it’s the right time to get one at all.

Planning ahead now can prevent one of the most heartbreaking outcomes in parrot ownership: having to give your bird up later. Our goal: help you keep your bird. Don’t forget our species spotlight featuring the Princess Parrot (Polytelis alexandrae)!

Always Remember: Be kind to your Parrot, and it will be kind to you!

—
Links:

Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com

Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/

Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars

Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars

Support the Parrot Stars Podcast! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support 

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the outstanding things happening at Parrot Stars! 

Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! Your support helps us with everything we do, and we genuinely appreciate it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

     From a cultural perspective, parrots and pirates go together like peanut butter and jelly. But why do we associate one with the other?

     The image of a pirate with a parrot perched on his shoulder is one of the most enduring tropes in Western popular culture. From Treasure Island to Pirates of the Caribbean, from literature to film, theme parks, and even sports mascots, the association between parrots and pirates is now so ingrained that it feels almost historical. But where did this connection actually originate - and how accurate is it?

     In this episode, we examine the historical, literary, and cultural roots of the parrot–pirate stereotype. Drawing from primary accounts of 17th-century Caribbean raids, the journals of Christopher Columbus, early travel narratives, and maritime trade records, we explore how parrots entered European awareness as exotic commodities through exploration, colonization, and piracy. We then trace how these real-world encounters were absorbed and amplified by literature, particularly in Robinson Crusoe and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, before becoming permanently embedded in popular imagination through modern film, animation, and entertainment.

     We also address the historical ambiguity surrounding actual pirate ownership of parrots—what evidence exists, what is speculative, and why the trade in exotic birds made parrots accessible to sailors, privateers, and pirates alike. By situating parrots within broader patterns of early modern global trade, colonial spectacle, and the European fascination with the “exotic,” this episode reframes a familiar cliché as the product of very real historical forces.

     Rather than asking whether pirates really had parrots, we ask a more revealing question: why did this particular image endure, and what does it tell us about exploration, empire, and the stories we choose to remember?

Links:
Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com
Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/
Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars
Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars
Support the Parrot Stars Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support 

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the phenomenal things happening at Parrot Stars! 

Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! Your support helps us with everything we do and we genuinely appreciate it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

Getting a new parrot is such a special and exciting thing. It can feel like your world has opened up to experiences you’ve never known before. Your newfound joy might make the idea of getting a second bird appealing. Or, perhaps you’re beginning your parrot ownership journey and wondering if it would be better to get two birds at the same time instead of just one.

We’re here to encourage your enthusiasm and boost your knowledge so you can make an informed decision as to whether getting a second parrot could be right for you and your family.

Parrots are highly social creatures, and for many, life truly is better with a companion. Adding another parrot to your home can greatly enhance their mental and emotional well-being — but only when it’s done with care and intention. It is absolutely feasible when you take into account the additional investments you’ll have to make and the needs of the bird already in your life.

In this episode, we explore everything you need to know about deciding whether it’s the right time to introduce a new parrot to your household. We’ll also talk about the importance of understanding your own capacity as a bird caretaker. After all, those good times will quickly disappear if you take in more birds than you’re prepared for.

So, join us as we dig into the science of bird bonding, understanding how your bird’s life in the wild influences responsible bird care, and what considerations must be made when adding a second feathered friend to your home.

Links:
Visit Us: www.parrotstars.com
Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/
Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars
Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars
Support the Parrot Stars Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support 

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the phenomenal things happening at Parrot Stars! 

Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! Your support helps us with everything we do and we genuinely appreciate it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

    Check out Season 4 Episode 9 of the Parrot Stars Podcast: Holiday Bonus Episode!

       This bonus episode of the Parrot Stars Podcast is your go-to guide for celebrating the holidays with parrots safely and joyfully—starting with why parrots should never be a surprise gift. Hosts Alexis and Avery cover the biggest seasonal hazards (trees, lights, tinsel, candles, essential oils, chocolate, wrapping chaos, guests, and noise), plus easy, practical steps to keep your birds calm and protected.

       Then they’ll flip the fun switch with bird-safe decorating ideas, foraging games, DIY “Parrot Christmas Morning” traditions, and gift inspiration for both birds and the people who love them. Along the way, they’ll share a cozy Parrot Stars year-in-review, a heartfelt reminder of what parrots mean to our homes, and a sprinkle of holiday bird fun facts—before wrapping up with goals for the new year and a warm thank-you to the whole flock.

-------

Links:

 Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com/

Parrot Stars on Instagram:  

https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/

Parrot Stars on TikTok:  

https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars

Parrot Stars on YouTube:   

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFfC9b7d9Vp94TurLeroOQ

Support the Parrot Stars Podcast:

  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support

       Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube and follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the phenomenal things happening at Parrot Stars!

       Enjoyed the episode? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share! We are also accepting donations at the link above. Your support helps us with everything we do, and we cannot thank you enough for it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

We are ecstatic to have Mark Pruden of The African Grey Journal with us for this episode! Mark travels the world visiting parrot breeders, stores, sanctuaries, and private keepers — sharing their stories, missions, and the purpose behind what they do. At home, he reviews unique parrot products and shares how he cares for his African Greys every day on his YouTube channel @Africangreyjournal and Instagram page @theafricangreyjournal.

Our hosts Alexis and Avery dig into how Mark got involved with aviculture, his journey becoming an established parrot influencer, and day-to-day life with his own two African Grey Parrots Maxwell and Gabrielle (AKA Gabby).

If you attended the last Summer Festival at Parrot Stars, you most likely met Mark! He was out in the crowds with his camera documenting the event and discussing bird care with the community. Suffice it to say, he was a huge hit with everyone and his video was wildly successful. Our hosts discuss Mark’s content online, what draws people to it, and what his plans for the future involve - including a potential aviculture-oriented documentary.

Additionally for the past year Mark has been developing The Avian Exchange “A Platform for Parrot Keepers, By Parrot Keepers” - a bird marketplace and networking site for aviculturists and legitimate, qualified bird breeders to share their care techniques as well as their birds available for purchase. Every user - aviculturist and breeder is manually verified by Mark, so you can rest assured that anyone involved has been properly vetted.

Join us for a conversation about bird keeping, bird care, and insights from members of the avian community for the community at large. Aviculturists unite!

The Avian Exchange:

https://www.theavianexchange.com

https://www.instagram.com/theavianexchange/

https://www.facebook.com/Avianexchange

The African Grey Journal:

https://www.youtube.com/@Africangreyjournal

https://www.instagram.com/theafricangreyjournal/

https://theafricangreyjournal-shop.fourthwall.com/

Parrot Stars Links:

Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com/
Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/
Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars
Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars
Support the Parrot Stars Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube and follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the phenomenal things happening at Parrot Stars! 

Enjoyed the episode? Download it and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! We are also accepting donations at the link above. Your support helps us with everything we do, and we cannot thank you enough for it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com

Parrots are instinctually busy-bodies. In their natural habitat, they are nomadic and have very few limitations on the ways they can physically interact with their living space. This is how they will live within your home unless you clearly establish where you want them to go and how you want them to do it.

This requires consistent positive reinforcement training. The endgame being allowing your parrot to be out in the house in a way that is harmonious with you and your family’s lifestyle. You can accomplish this by showing your parrot that existing with boundaries is a rewarding experience for both of you.

Stationing is the practice of training your parrot to be placed somewhere and stay there. We’ll discuss why stationing is so crucial to the success of your bird longterm. There should be a minimum of three stations in your home that are designated bird-friendly spaces: the enclosure, your hand, and a third space such as a play stand that has been outfitted with a great deal of enrichment.

So, how do we get the parrot to identify that an area is a safe space for them to behave like the bird they are? Participation and treats! Engage with your bird and fill that space with things that will instantly appeal to them: foraging toys, chew toys, enrichment, enrichment, enrichment. Think you have enough enrichment? Add more. In the world of bird care, when it comes to enclosure space and enrichment the rule of thumb is always the more, the better. The more enriching a space, the less likely they are to want to leave it. 

Building boundaries does not require a lot of effort, but it does require consistency and knowledge. Creating a happy living space for you and your parrot should not be approached like a mystery to be unraveled but rather an agreement you make with your bird to take part in a strategy for success. Having a step-by-step plan behind how to approach communicating expectations is necessary for a fulfilling experience with your bird.

In this episode, we discuss what it means to have a successful strategy for establishing boundaries and ultimately how doing so sets clear expectations for your parrot when it comes to their behavior.

So, join us as we dig into how having boundaries with your bird will make both of your lives together infinitely better. Because the goal isn’t just to live with your parrot, but to live well!

Links:
Visit Us: https://www.parrotstars.com
Parrot Stars on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parrotstars/
Parrot Stars on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@parrot_stars
Parrot Stars on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@parrotstars
Support the Parrot Stars Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2376122/support

Follow the Parrot Stars Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. Watch the video content on YouTube. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for regular updates about all of the phenomenal things happening at Parrot Stars! 

Enjoy the episode? Download each one and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and review! We are also accepting donations at the link above. Your support helps us with everything we do, and we cannot thank you enough for it.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Learn more about Parrot Stars and shop online at parrotstars.com