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Bizzy, our Bird of the Month, is the queen of “anting!”
If you’ve spent time around Goffin’s Cockatoos, you may have seen them do something a little quirky: rubbing or tucking pieces of toys, food, or other materials into their feathers. This behavior resembles anting, a fascinating behavior seen in many wild bird species. During active anting, birds pick up ants or other materials and rub them through their feathers. Ants can release formic acid, and scientists have proposed several possible functions for anting, including feather maintenance and parasite control. Although exactly why birds do it is still being studied.
And Bizzy has her own version!
One of our amazing volunteers made this bead toy for her, and Bizzy LOVES removing the beads and flicking them underneath her wings. Watching her carefully choose which materials she wants to use is just as fascinating as the behavior itself.
It’s a wonderful reminder that enrichment isn't one-size-fits-all. Every parrot has individual preferences—what they like to chew, shred, manipulate, explore, and interact with.
Our job is to notice. When we pay attention to what each bird chooses to do, we can provide enrichment that encourages those interests and gives them more opportunities to engage in meaningful behaviors.
Sometimes good enrichment is about what we make. Sometimes it's about watching what they choose to do with it. 💚
#MAARS #Parrots #Sanctuary #Cockatoos #Nonprofit ... See MoreSee Less

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USDA Licensed Doesn’t Mean Humane

In the next part of our conversation with undercover investigator, author, and advocate Pete Paxton, Pete reflects on what went through his mind when he first walked into a large-scale parakeet breeding facility:

“This is a battery-cage egg barn.”

After decades investigating animal industries, Pete saw striking similarities between commercial bird-breeding facilities, puppy mills, and battery-cage operations—large numbers of animals confined in repetitive, barren enclosures within systems designed around production.

Pete also discusses the role of USDA oversight and why seeing the words “USDA licensed” shouldn’t automatically be interpreted as a guarantee that birds are receiving the kind of care consumers might expect.

A license alone doesn’t tell you how a bird lives every day.

Watch this segment as Pete explains what he witnessed and why he believes we need to look beyond labels when considering where birds sold in the commercial trade come from.

A license is not proof of a good breeder. Don’t buy birds from pet stores. Support rescue. #MAARS #Parrots #Sanctuary #Cockatoos #Nonprofit ... See MoreSee Less