When companion parrot caregivers think about training, they often think about teaching a bird to step up, perform a trick, or stop an unwanted behavior. But I believe we need to think much more broadly about what training can accomplish. If we do, we might reach a level of parrot ownership that is truly joyful.
Most companion parrots live in environments designed almost entirely around human needs and expectations. We decide where they live, what they eat, when they come out of their cages, and what opportunities they have to explore their surroundings.
Yet how often do we deliberately teach them the skills they need to navigate that environment successfully?
Moving Beyond Problem Behaviors
Many caregivers first become interested in training when something goes wrong. Their parrot begins biting, screaming excessively, resisting handling, or refusing to return to its cage. Understandably, they want to resolve the problem.
But training shouldn’t begin only when behavior becomes difficult.
A more productive question is: What can I teach my parrot today that will help prevent problems tomorrow?
Consider the benefits of teaching a parrot to move voluntarily between locations, remain comfortably on a designated perch, enter a carrier, or participate in routine husbandry procedures. These aren’t party tricks. They’re practical skills that can make daily life safer, less stressful, and more predictable. And, it’s not hard to teach a parrot these things/
Training, Choice, and Control
One of the most important contributions training can make to parrot welfare is increasing an individual’s opportunities for choice and control. A parrot who has learned to enter a carrier voluntarily may experience considerably less stress than one who must be physically restrained whenever transportation becomes necessary.
A bird who can move to a station on cue may be able to participate in household routines without repeatedly being picked up or redirected. Training can also provide ways for parrots to communicate their preferences and participate voluntarily in activities that affect them.
Of course, training alone cannot compensate for an inadequate environment. Parrots also need opportunities to fly, forage, explore, engage in appropriate social behavior, and exercise control over aspects of their daily lives.
Good training should complement good husbandry, not replace it.
Why Positive Reinforcement Matters
Positive reinforcement allows us to strengthen desirable behaviors by arranging consequences that make those behaviors more likely to occur again.
But its value extends beyond simply producing reliable responses.
When training is thoughtfully designed, parrots can learn to approach unfamiliar experiences, participate voluntarily in routine care, and acquire skills without relying on intimidation or coercion.
The caregiver’s responsibility is to arrange conditions that make success possible.
That includes observing body language, recognizing signs of uncertainty or discomfort, and adjusting expectations to the individual bird.
Training as Part of Responsible Stewardship
Our responsibility isn’t simply to prevent companion parrots from behaving in ways we find inconvenient.
It’s to understand the animals we’ve brought into our homes and provide the guidance, opportunities, and skills they need to live successfully within those environments.
That requires a shift in perspective.
Instead of asking only how to stop unwanted behavior, we can begin asking what we should be teaching, what environmental changes are needed, and how we can give our parrots greater opportunities to make meaningful choices.
That is where thoughtful training becomes an essential part of good stewardship.
Upcoming Webinar: Training and Guidance for the Companion Parrot
Teaching Skills for a Successful Life in the Human Home
Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 12:00 noon CT
In this webinar, we’ll explore how parrots learn, why positive reinforcement is so useful, and how to identify and teach the practical skills that improve daily life for companion parrots and their caregivers.
We’ll also discuss the relationship between training, environmental management, choice, control, and long-term behavioral welfare.
Whether you’re a companion parrot caregiver or an avian professional, I invite you to join me.
Registration: $29.99
ttps://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J3NRUgKFSGKFVng_RSbJrg
AR — INSERT LINK]Pamela Clark, CPBC
The Parrot Steward
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J3NRUgKFSGKFVng_RSbJrg
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