Parrot Basic Instincts: Part 4 (Almost Done!!)

Eye placement amd location on the head, especially for flock animals, is crucial to their survival amd knnowing how a parrot's eyes work gives us greater insight on their behavior. Parrots, like most prey animals have eye that are widely spaced, on either side of the head. This allows for a wide range of vision (almost a 360 degree feild of sight in some species). This means these birds can see things coming at them from almost any direction and angle. It is an important defensive feature and makes vision the crucial factor in aiding their survival. However, with this wide angle vision, and the fact that each eye operates independently of the other, the parrot sacrifices depth perception in their field of vision. In the wild, this hardly matters: the bird sights a predator and immediately takes a defensive posture no matter how distant the predator is. This flight/alert defense instinct is instrumental in saving the bird's life. BUT in our homes, this instinct can cause confusion in both owner and bird.

Sudden movement can often startle, surprise and frighten our birds. Heck, they can't see how close you are! Placing the parrot's cage, perch or play area by a door, in a high traffic hallway or ANYWHERE really, where people might "suddenly appear" is a bad idea. The best place for a cage is in a visually accessible spot, where the bird can see on-coming traffic. Another useful tip, especially for new parrot owners s to "announce themselves" by making a little noise or turning on a light prior to entering the room. This helps cut down on the startle factor.