Pets & Animals

(WCCO) They were the hottest pet a decade ago, but now they are the most abandoned. Exotic birds are beautiful and smart enough to talk, but they are wild animals and can be a challenge to care for.

Cara Helgeson and her bird, Murphy, have been friends for almost 20 years.

"I got him when I was 13 years old," said Helgeson. "It was actually a rescue story."

Rescued from a home where the owners were never there, Cara provided her cockatoo with love and lots of attention. But these birds can live up to 60 years.

"They are a lifetime commitment," said Helgeson. "I mean most of these birds end up in wills."

And their needs change over time.

"Unfortunately, throughout the years of me getting busy and having more to do with work and just life in general, I've had less time to spend with him," said Helgeson. "Which has made him more nervous. He's become a feather plucker, due to nerves."

Not only does he pluck his feathers, Murphy screams for attention.

"It's become unmanageable for me," said Helgeson, "Because I wake up to screaming, he screams all day long. The only time he doesn't scream is when I'm holding him."

Helgeson's had to make a difficult decision.

"I feel like he deserves more than what I can give him right now," said Helgeson. "And I just have to say goodbye I guess."

Parrots and exotic birds are not pets, they are wild animals. And once they're taken from the wild, it's almost impossible for them to go back. So some owners are turning to sanctuaries for help.

Eileen McCarthy is the founder of Midwest Avian Adoption and Rescue Services, or MAARS. The group provides training for bird owners.

But she said, "Usually by the time people contact us, the situation has deteriorated."

There are more than 100 exotic birds in this Twin Cities sanctuary. Some are rescued from abuse, others are from loving homes that can no longer accommodate the birds' needs.

"They're so desperate for social interaction that when they're in a home situation, the humans become their flock and they want to be a part of everything," said McCarthy. "It's really not feasible for any human to meet the kinds social needs that parrots have, which is basically 24/7. In a flock, they would never be alone."

Flocks of parrots in the wild are becoming a more familiar site. There's a flock in Brooklyn, New York and another in San Francisco. Even though these birds are native to the tropics, the exotic pet trade has brought them farther north. Many of these birds in the wild have either escaped or been released by overwhelmed owners.

"All of the things that are great about them, that make them fascinating, amazing creatures in the wild," said Mira Tweti, "are a complete disadvantage in captivity."

Tweti has written a book called "Of Parrots and People." Even though she loves here lorikeet named Zazu, she warned that these birds are terrible pets.

She is fighting for protection, because not only are parrots the most endangered species of wild birds in the world, they have also become the fastest-growing group of unwanted pets.

"Basically, in a nutshell, they're wild animals," said Tweti. "They live in domestic situations with us, but they're never domesticated."

It's been a year on the waiting list for Helgeson to bring Murphy to MAARS. She knows the sanctuary will provide a better flock for Murphy.

"He has been a good little friend, but I can't give him what he needs," said Helgeson. "It's not fair. And it's become unfair to me too."

But after almost 20 years, it's still not easy.

"Bye Murphy, I love you. I love you, I always will," said Helgeson as she gave Murphy a final kiss goodbye.

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