Hi (party’s name),
My name is Lanette and I am the President of the Long Island Parrot Society.
I appreciate your willingness to inquire about the wellbeing of parrots that you observe. You are not the first to ask about the care of the birds at Kellenberg. I made the acquaintance of Brother Roger, at Kellenberg, several years ago in response to a similar inquiry. Among his varied academic, administrative, and spiritual duties, he also supervises the care of the birds at Kellenberg. If you have concerns about specific birds there, I would encourage you to speak directly with him. In the meantime I will write to you a few of my thoughts.
First and foremost, the Parrot Society is not an environmental or policing organization. We are a 5013c organization that focuses on education about parrot ownership and adoptions for parrots who need new homes. It is through these avenues that we hope to have a positive influence on the lives of parrots and parrot people on Long Island.
So, I am going to provide you with some basic information that may help you to better evaluate the quality of care companion birds are receiving. Birds have very different needs from other animals, and some of the criteria for evaluating their conditions may surprise you.
1. Do they receive fresh food and water daily… the absence of food/water is the standard for cruelty. (We refer calls on suspected cruelty to the SPCA).
2. Are they able to change position, stretch their legs and wings… the accommodation of basic movement is important to health and well being.
3. Are they in contact with dangerous materials… wires, lead or zinc metals, poisonous plants or fumes (a list is available on our website:
Long Island Parrot Society)
But there are also issues that may give false impression as to the quality of care or the environment.
1. Feather plucking… many birds that are plucked have long term plucking issues that are unrelated to the current environment; the current environment may have lead to improvements in a plucking situation, but follicles that have been destroyed may never re-grow feathers.
2. Glass or plexiglass enclosures… many zoos and sanctuaries, as well as veterinary and home cage environments are largely built of solid materials including glass or Plexiglas. They are easy to clean, they reduce drafts, they buffer noise, and they prevent people from poking fingers and other objects into the enclosure promoting safety for people and parrots.
3. Relative size of enclosures… in a large space such as a school it may be difficult to judge the size of an enclosure. Most of us are accustomed to thinking of cages relative to our home environments, and may misjudge what appears to be a relatively small enclosure in a large-scale setting.
4. Environmental destruction… many parrots consider all aspects of their environment to be potentially “interactive” and they will happily engage in a destructive work–in-progress, and enjoy their progress even as we remark on the ruination.
5. Poop… parrots may poop as often as every 20 minutes. It just happens, and can leave quite a mess in a relatively short time regardless of a daily cleaning schedule.
6. Lighting… parrots do best with 12 hours of relatively bright light. Keep in mind that most parrots evolved in environments that receive 10-14 hours of bright light daily year round. Too little light can be more of a problem than too much, so long as birds get sufficient dark time to sleep 8-12 hours a night.
7. Attention… parrots evolved to live in flocks. They are noisy gregarious birds and generally appreciate noisy gregarious interaction, as long as they can maintain a comfortable interactive space. That said, many individual parrots prefer to watch rather than interact with people, due to poor experiences with people.
Interestingly, the Board of the Long Island Parrot Society was invited to visit Kellenberg a couple of years ago. We remain interested in offering them additional educational resources and information that might benefit the birds in their care and as well as enhancing the educational potential of their “flock”. I personally have spent considerable time with Brother Roger and the parrots in their care discussing each parrot’s story, the care and attention that they receive, and how devoted the kids, teachers, and administration are to these previously homeless, even abused birds. The birds at Kellenberg were all relinquished to the school by owners who could no longer care for their birds, and the average observer may not imagine the conditions these birds survived in previous homes. Of course there are suggestions to be made that will lead to ongoing improvements and enhancements of the birds’ quality of life, as well as the parrot education available to everyone who visits Kellenberg. This is a work in progress. Brother Roger is a lovely man, enthusiastic and willing to talk about the birds. Moreover, he engages in consultation with area zoos, veterinarians, and other animal and avian experts in order to provide appropriate care for his non-human charges.
I have no doubt he would be willing to speak with you. I remain willing to speak with you as well, if you have further concerns or questions.
Best,
Lanette Raymond, PhD
President, Long Island Parrot Society
But never been one to blindly follow the pack off the cliff...
