There can be no question that parrots have more intellect…
““There can be no question that parrots have more intellect than any other kind of bird, and it is this that makes them such favourite pets and brings upon them so many sorrows. ...Men will buy them ... and carry them off to all quarters of the native town, intending, I doubt not, to treat them kindly; but "the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel", and confinement in a solitary cell, the discipline with which we reform hardened criminals, is misery enough to a bird with an active mind, without the superadded horrors of ... life in a tin case, hung from a nail in the wall of a dark shop... Why does the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals never look into the woes of parrots? ... However happy you make her captivity, imagination will carry her at times to the green field and blue sky, and she fancies herself somewhere near the sun, heading a long file of exultant companions in swift career through the whistling air. Then she opens her mouth and rings out a wild salute to all parrots in the far world below her.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Parrots possess high intellect, making captivity cruel; their minds suffer despite human affection.
In simple terms: Parrots are intelligent, captivity harms them.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for humane treatment.
Themes
animal welfare
intelligence
captivity
compassion
ethics
Mood
empathetic
advocacy
Type
Animal welfare:1
Bird:1
Blue sky:0
Captivity:1
Cruelty:1
Intelligence:1
Parrots:1
Psychology:0
Tender mercies:0
Kind Bird:0
Parrots Intellect:1
Question Parrots:0
When to use this quote
- pet ownership
- legislation
- public awareness campaigns
Key Concepts
cognitive ethology
animal rights
psychology of confinement
Questions to Reflect On
- What alternatives exist for intelligent pets?
- How can society better protect captive birds?
A Different Perspective
Human affection may not offset suffering.