MAARS needs your help to create a new sanctuary that provides space for flight. Your support is vital for giving the birds an environment that can better meet their unique needs than the current location.
Every happy, healthy parrot at MAARS is here because of an incredible community. To our volunteers, donors, and supporters. Thank you for making this work possible. Your kindness gives our residents the care, safety, and second chances they deserve.
Want to make a difference? Join our flock as a volunteer: www.maars.org/volunteer/
#MAARS #parrots #sanctuary #cockatoos #nonprofit
Every bird is different. Their care should be, too.
On January 4, Cass, a 41-year-old Congo African Grey, joined our flock. Cass has experienced significant instability throughout his life. Shortly after hatching, his parents severely injured his feet, leaving him with a partial foot and a stump. He has also lived in multiple homes, some of which were neglectful or abusive.
Since arriving at the Landing, Cass has been getting out of his house every day to explore. We love seeing him move around and make choices, but all that adventuring has been hard on his stumps.
So, we adapted.
Cass now has a new soft mat that makes walking and exploring easier and more comfortable for him.
This is what personalized, adaptive sanctuary care looks like. Sometimes it's a major medical decision, and sometimes it's simply noticing that a bird needs a different surface beneath his feet. At MAARS, we proudly care for every member of our flock as an individual. We adapt their environment and care to meet them where they are and give them the opportunity to thrive. #MAARS #Parrots #Sanctuary #Cockatoos #Nonprofit
Paraphrased from Quarks to Quasars:
Part 2-More on music and parrots-Researchers believe cockatoo dancing could indicate positive emotional states, making music a potential tool for improving welfare in captivity.
Cockatoos have more dance moves than most humans. The moves include the downward head bob, full-on headbang, body rolls, sidesteps, neck circles, and even custom combos where birds stitched several moves together in their own style. Amazingly, the cockatoos danced even without music – suggesting the behavior is deeply ingrained. In the wild, such movements might attract mates; in captivity, they seem to direct these displays toward their human companions.
Dancing in time with music is rare in the animal kingdom and has only been confirmed in humans and parrots. It requires advanced cognitive skills like rhythm perception, motor coordination, and social awareness.
“Playing music to parrots may enrich their lives and promote positive emotions,” said Professor Rafael Freire of Charles Sturt University. “The similarities with human dancing make it hard to argue against well-developed cognitive and emotional processes in parrots.
”#MAARS #Parrots #Sanctuary #Cockatoos #Nonprofit
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