23/09/2026
Something to think about
AGING PARENTS… IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU ANYMORE.
This is a conversation many parrot owners don't want to have.
What happens to your bird when you get too old to care for them?
Not someday.
Not “when the time comes.”
Have you actually thought about it?
Because your parrot doesn't know that your arthritis is getting worse.
They don't understand why you're too tired to clean the cage like you used to.
They don't understand why their veterinary appointments are becoming harder to manage.
They don't understand why they aren't getting the same amount of interaction, enrichment and out-of-cage time they once did.
They only know that something has changed.
And here's the uncomfortable truth:
LOVING YOUR PARROT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN YOU SHOULD KEEP THEM.
There.
I said it.
And I know that statement is going to make some people uncomfortable.
But parrots don't live according to our timelines.
Some live 30, 40, 50 years or longer.
The person who brought that beautiful baby bird home may eventually become elderly.
They may become disabled.
They may become financially unable to provide appropriate care.
They may develop health problems.
They may simply reach a point where caring for a large, demanding, intelligent animal is more than they can safely manage.
That doesn't make them a bad person.
But refusing to acknowledge reality doesn't protect the bird
SOMETIMES SURRENDER IS AN ACT OF LOVE.
Imagine having a bird you've loved for 20 or 30 years.
That bird has been there through your entire adult life.
They've been beside you through marriages, children, divorces, illnesses, celebrations, losses and everything in between.
And then one day you have to admit:
“I can't do this anymore.”
That's heartbreaking.
But it can also be incredibly responsible.
Because keeping a bird simply because you can't bear to let them go isn't necessarily putting the bird first.
Planning for their future is.
DON'T WAIT FOR THE EMERGENCY.
Don't wait until you're hospitalized.
Don't wait until you've fallen and can't get back up.
Don't wait until someone else has to clean your bird's cage.
Don't wait until your family is standing in your home asking, “What are we supposed to do with these birds?”
And please don't assume that your children, grandchildren, friends or neighbors will automatically take your parrots.
They may not.
Even people who love you may not be equipped—or willing—to take on a parrot that could live another 20 years.
Your bird needs a plan.
START THE CONVERSATION WHILE YOU STILL CAN.
Research reputable rescues.
Visit them.
Ask where surrendered birds live.
Ask about veterinary care.
Ask about adoption practices.
Ask what happens to birds who aren't easily adoptable.
Make sure someone knows where your bird's medical records are.
Write down their diet, medications, routines, personality, fears and preferences.
And most importantly:
Have a plan before someone else has to make one for you.
Because your bird shouldn't have to pay the price for our refusal to think about the future.
AND YES… SURRENDER HURTS.
It may be one of the hardest things you've ever done.
You may cry.
You may feel guilty.
You may wonder whether your bird will miss you.
You may worry that somebody else won't love them the way you did.
They may.
They may not love them exactly the way you did.
But they can still give them a safe, healthy and meaningful life.
And isn't that what we ultimately want for the animals we've spent decades loving?
Maybe the hardest part of loving a parrot isn't bringing them home.
Maybe it's having enough courage to recognize when their needs have become greater than what we can safely provide.
That isn't failure.
That's responsible love.
LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
If you're an aging parrot owner, have you made a plan for your birds?
If you have adult children, do they know what happens to your parrots if something happens to you?
Would your family actually be prepared to take them?
Have you ever had to surrender a bird because your circumstances changed?
And if you're younger, have you thought about how old your parrot will be when you're 60, 70 or 80?
This isn't about judging anyone.
It's about having the conversation before there is a crisis.
Because eventually, when we choose to share our lives with companion parrots,
it's not just about us anymore.
It's about them.
— Majestic Wings Rescue
Honoring the past. Protecting their future.
