Can I buy a pet parrot without endangering wild parrot populations?
For consumers who wish to own a pet parrot, captive-bred species make the best choice because they are usually healthier and tamer than their wild counterparts, they generally enter trade legally, and they are less likely to constitute a drain on wild populations. Even with birds that are not protected by CITES, captive-bred specimens usually make better pets, since they are raised around humans. The two non-CITES regulated parrots-the budgerigar, or budgie, and the cockatiel-are widely bred in captivity. As U.S. imports of wild-caught parrot species decline, increasing numbers of captive-bred parrots are becoming available to consumers. Some common captive-bred species include the peach-faced lovebird (Agapornis roseicollis), ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri), sun conure (Aratinga solstitailis), and blue and gold macaw (Ara ararauna).
