[Applause] with the show of hands how many of you
with the show of hands how many of you
with the show of hands how many of you have owned a pet how about a pet bird
have owned a pet how about a pet bird
have owned a pet how about a pet bird and how many of you know the origins of
and how many of you know the origins of
and how many of you know the origins of that pet or bird now I’m sure a lot of
that pet or bird now I’m sure a lot of
that pet or bird now I’m sure a lot of you have different answers the pet store
you have different answers the pet store
you have different answers the pet store the market the roadside and egg and you
the market the roadside and egg and you
the market the roadside and egg and you know be correct but what did these pets
know be correct but what did these pets
know be correct but what did these pets were not in your home where would they
were not in your home where would they
were not in your home where would they be if not sold in the markets on the
be if not sold in the markets on the
be if not sold in the markets on the side of the road has someone who has
side of the road has someone who has
side of the road has someone who has owned pet birds since the age of nine I
owned pet birds since the age of nine I
owned pet birds since the age of nine I can tell you that I never really thought
can tell you that I never really thought
can tell you that I never really thought about where birds came from until I
about where birds came from until I
about where birds came from until I moved to Nicaragua when I arrived here
moved to Nicaragua when I arrived here
moved to Nicaragua when I arrived here it surprised and then upset me to see
it surprised and then upset me to see
it surprised and then upset me to see Birds being sold in the side of the road
Birds being sold in the side of the road
Birds being sold in the side of the road tied up to six like this when I asked
tied up to six like this when I asked
tied up to six like this when I asked the vendors about this they said they
the vendors about this they said they
the vendors about this they said they usually had around two to four Birds
usually had around two to four Birds
usually had around two to four Birds which they tried to sell in pairs and
which they tried to sell in pairs and
which they tried to sell in pairs and they sold around three different species
they sold around three different species
they sold around three different species after doing a bit more investigating I
after doing a bit more investigating I
after doing a bit more investigating I also found that these birds are being
also found that these birds are being
also found that these birds are being caught and sold in markets many birds
caught and sold in markets many birds
caught and sold in markets many birds were crammed into one small cage now
were crammed into one small cage now
were crammed into one small cage now imagine you and five of your closest
imagine you and five of your closest
imagine you and five of your closest friends crammed into the VM in the back
friends crammed into the VM in the back
friends crammed into the VM in the back seat of a car meant for three not very
seat of a car meant for three not very
seat of a car meant for three not very comfortable right on top of that these
comfortable right on top of that these
comfortable right on top of that these birds aren’t always being taken care of
birds aren’t always being taken care of
birds aren’t always being taken care of correctly oftentimes their wings have
correctly oftentimes their wings have
correctly oftentimes their wings have been clipped did you know that vendors
been clipped did you know that vendors
been clipped did you know that vendors or owners of Birds clip the wings so
or owners of Birds clip the wings so
or owners of Birds clip the wings so they won’t fly away but if this is done
they won’t fly away but if this is done
they won’t fly away but if this is done to birds that are not meant to be raised
to birds that are not meant to be raised
to birds that are not meant to be raised in captivity it can cause permanent
in captivity it can cause permanent
in captivity it can cause permanent damage when a bird can no longer act and
damage when a bird can no longer act and
damage when a bird can no longer act and its natural instincts to fly it can lead
its natural instincts to fly it can lead
its natural instincts to fly it can lead to psychological and physical problems
to psychological and physical problems
to psychological and physical problems one example of this is this macaw whose
one example of this is this macaw whose
one example of this is this macaw whose wings are both broken in the illegal
wings are both broken in the illegal
wings are both broken in the illegal bird trade and now it can no longer fly
it actually flex its own feathers which
it actually flex its own feathers which is a sign of stress or boredom
is a sign of stress or boredom
is a sign of stress or boredom according to pet MD now imagine not
according to pet MD now imagine not
according to pet MD now imagine not being able to use your legs which is the
being able to use your legs which is the
being able to use your legs which is the reality for some of us how would your
reality for some of us how would your
reality for some of us how would your life be different
life be different
life be different with your personal with your main motive
with your personal with your main motive
with your personal with your main motive sells transportation taken away you can
sells transportation taken away you can
sells transportation taken away you can no longer walk run or drive without
no longer walk run or drive without
no longer walk run or drive without assistance how would you like to be
assistance how would you like to be
assistance how would you like to be different with your personal freedom
different with your personal freedom
different with your personal freedom taken away sure you might adjust
taken away sure you might adjust
taken away sure you might adjust physically but would you be depressed I
physically but would you be depressed I
physically but would you be depressed I imagine that this is how the macaw feels
imagine that this is how the macaw feels
imagine that this is how the macaw feels for a long time
for a long time
for a long time birds of represented freedom but if
birds of represented freedom but if
birds of represented freedom but if their gift of flight were to be taken
their gift of flight were to be taken
their gift of flight were to be taken what then would they represent it
what then would they represent it
what then would they represent it devastates me to continue seeing this
devastates me to continue seeing this
devastates me to continue seeing this problem no the others don’t realize
problem no the others don’t realize
problem no the others don’t realize birds are being taken from their natural
birds are being taken from their natural
birds are being taken from their natural habitats and being sold for our
habitats and being sold for our
habitats and being sold for our entertainment and this isn’t just a
entertainment and this isn’t just a
entertainment and this isn’t just a problem here in Nicaragua this is a
problem here in Nicaragua this is a
problem here in Nicaragua this is a problem worldwide where birds all over
problem worldwide where birds all over
problem worldwide where birds all over are becoming more scarce in the wild
are becoming more scarce in the wild
are becoming more scarce in the wild partially due to the illegal trade
according to the Animal Welfare
according to the Animal Welfare Institute one in every three species a
Institute one in every three species a
Institute one in every three species a parrot is under threat of extinction and
parrot is under threat of extinction and
parrot is under threat of extinction and that’s just parrots
that’s just parrots
that’s just parrots imagine what the statistic must be for
imagine what the statistic must be for
imagine what the statistic must be for all other kinds of birds – furthermore
all other kinds of birds – furthermore
all other kinds of birds – furthermore the economic gain from this is not
the economic gain from this is not
the economic gain from this is not sustainable people participating in the
sustainable people participating in the
sustainable people participating in the illegal trade often catch too many birds
illegal trade often catch too many birds
illegal trade often catch too many birds to compensate for the fact that 60% of
to compensate for the fact that 60% of
to compensate for the fact that 60% of birds will die any illegal trade
birds will die any illegal trade
birds will die any illegal trade if birds continue to be caught and sold
if birds continue to be caught and sold
if birds continue to be caught and sold like this the cycle will continue like
like this the cycle will continue like
like this the cycle will continue like in any market if we keep creating a
in any market if we keep creating a
in any market if we keep creating a demand for these birds and the suppliers
demand for these birds and the suppliers
demand for these birds and the suppliers will likewise continue selling and if
will likewise continue selling and if
will likewise continue selling and if the birds cannot reproduce fast enough
the birds cannot reproduce fast enough
the birds cannot reproduce fast enough to replenish their natural populations
to replenish their natural populations
to replenish their natural populations eventually many birds without sync in
eventually many birds without sync in
eventually many birds without sync in the wild imagine a world without any
the wild imagine a world without any
the wild imagine a world without any birds no chickens parrots
birds no chickens parrots
birds no chickens parrots penguins hummingbirds or Hawks or any
penguins hummingbirds or Hawks or any
penguins hummingbirds or Hawks or any other kind now it may seem like an easy
other kind now it may seem like an easy
other kind now it may seem like an easy thing to do but it would have a lot of
thing to do but it would have a lot of
thing to do but it would have a lot of negative impacts that we don’t
negative impacts that we don’t
negative impacts that we don’t necessarily foresee and why should you
necessarily foresee and why should you
necessarily foresee and why should you care because birds help us in many ways
care because birds help us in many ways
care because birds help us in many ways the first is that they control the
the first is that they control the
the first is that they control the insect populations without Birds we
insect populations without Birds we
insect populations without Birds we would have higher amounts of harmful
would have higher amounts of harmful
would have higher amounts of harmful insects like mosquitos and diseases
insects like mosquitos and diseases
insects like mosquitos and diseases carried by them would be on the rise
carried by them would be on the rise
carried by them would be on the rise second birds help with pollination and
second birds help with pollination and
second birds help with pollination and the spreading of seas which leads to
the spreading of seas which leads to
the spreading of seas which leads to biodiversity and in an article according
biodiversity and in an article according
biodiversity and in an article according an article by NPR
an article by NPR
an article by NPR there they say that 40% of invertebrate
there they say that 40% of invertebrate
there they say that 40% of invertebrate pollinators are under threat of
pollinators are under threat of
pollinators are under threat of extinction so we need birds that provide
extinction so we need birds that provide
extinction so we need birds that provide the service more than ever
the service more than ever
the service more than ever third the ecosystem ecosystems would be
third the ecosystem ecosystems would be
third the ecosystem ecosystems would be out of balance due to the trophic
out of balance due to the trophic
out of balance due to the trophic cascade and caused by the loss of
cascade and caused by the loss of
cascade and caused by the loss of predatory birds for example today we
predatory birds for example today we
predatory birds for example today we have an owl and this owl eats rabbits
have an owl and this owl eats rabbits
have an owl and this owl eats rabbits and other rodents but it was suddenly
and other rodents but it was suddenly
and other rodents but it was suddenly taken out of the equation so these
taken out of the equation so these
taken out of the equation so these rabbits and other rodents grow in
rabbits and other rodents grow in
rabbits and other rodents grow in population but with the growing
population but with the growing
population but with the growing population they need to consume more
population they need to consume more
population they need to consume more food so eventually they run out of a
food so eventually they run out of a
food so eventually they run out of a food source and they’re left to have to
food source and they’re left to have to
food source and they’re left to have to leave the habitat and search for another
leave the habitat and search for another
leave the habitat and search for another source of food
source of food
source of food now other predators in the area can no
now other predators in the area can no
now other predators in the area can no longer don’t no longer have a food
longer don’t no longer have a food
longer don’t no longer have a food source either and they must leave as
source either and they must leave as
source either and they must leave as well the result is that the system
well the result is that the system
well the result is that the system cannot be sustained and fourth birds add
cannot be sustained and fourth birds add
cannot be sustained and fourth birds add a little bit of beauty to our day for
a little bit of beauty to our day for
a little bit of beauty to our day for example the bird song imagine waking up
example the bird song imagine waking up
example the bird song imagine waking up in the morning or going outside and
in the morning or going outside and
in the morning or going outside and hearing no birds it would be a pretty
hearing no birds it would be a pretty
hearing no birds it would be a pretty dull and much quieter so there’s the
dull and much quieter so there’s the
dull and much quieter so there’s the issue and you may be wondering what can
issue and you may be wondering what can
issue and you may be wondering what can I do about it well we can no longer
I do about it well we can no longer
I do about it well we can no longer support the illegal bird tree and the
support the illegal bird tree and the
support the illegal bird tree and the power to do this lays in our hands alone
power to do this lays in our hands alone
power to do this lays in our hands alone now I’m not saying that we shouldn’t own
now I’m not saying that we shouldn’t own
now I’m not saying that we shouldn’t own pet birds there are so many birds
pet birds there are so many birds
pet birds there are so many birds already in captivity but it would be
already in captivity but it would be
already in captivity but it would be crazy to say that they should all go
crazy to say that they should all go
crazy to say that they should all go without a home but we should rethink the
without a home but we should rethink the
without a home but we should rethink the process of buying and caring for birds
process of buying and caring for birds
process of buying and caring for birds so when going to buy a bird do you read
the species if the species a bird that
the species if the species a bird that you’re gonna buy the vendors where do
you’re gonna buy the vendors where do
you’re gonna buy the vendors where do the vendors get their birds do they get
the vendors get their birds do they get
the vendors get their birds do they get them from the wild or from a certified
them from the wild or from a certified
them from the wild or from a certified breeder the breeders look into the
breeder the breeders look into the
breeder the breeders look into the breeders practices and
breeders practices and
breeders practices and check to see if they’re living in a
check to see if they’re living in a
check to see if they’re living in a healthy environment when they breed the
healthy environment when they breed the
healthy environment when they breed the birds know how to properly care for your
birds know how to properly care for your
birds know how to properly care for your bird be sure to check with your local
bird be sure to check with your local
bird be sure to check with your local veterinarian about your birds health and
veterinarian about your birds health and
veterinarian about your birds health and be sure to do research online beforehand
be sure to do research online beforehand
be sure to do research online beforehand so you know you’re buying the right
so you know you’re buying the right
so you know you’re buying the right enclosure and accessories and finally by
enclosure and accessories and finally by
enclosure and accessories and finally by putting your bird for the right reasons
putting your bird for the right reasons
putting your bird for the right reasons often we buy birds just for show and we
often we buy birds just for show and we
often we buy birds just for show and we leave them in the cages all day to be
leave them in the cages all day to be
leave them in the cages all day to be living decorations but if you’re gonna
living decorations but if you’re gonna
living decorations but if you’re gonna buy a bird you must be willing to commit
buy a bird you must be willing to commit
buy a bird you must be willing to commit time to letting it fly freely in your
time to letting it fly freely in your
time to letting it fly freely in your house to playing with it or to even
house to playing with it or to even
house to playing with it or to even bringing it outside with the bird Marcus
bringing it outside with the bird Marcus
bringing it outside with the bird Marcus the more effort you put into it the more
the more effort you put into it the more
the more effort you put into it the more the more happy that you and your bird
the more happy that you and your bird
the more happy that you and your bird can be now it is definitely possible to
can be now it is definitely possible to
can be now it is definitely possible to change the way that we care for birds
change the way that we care for birds
change the way that we care for birds and there are people doing this today
and there are people doing this today
and there are people doing this today one person is Chris Bureau who’s the
one person is Chris Bureau who’s the
one person is Chris Bureau who’s the founder and president of the nonprofit
founder and president of the nonprofit
founder and president of the nonprofit bird recovery international now he is
bird recovery international now he is
bird recovery international now he is leading in the scientific movement of
leading in the scientific movement of
leading in the scientific movement of free flying birds and raising captive
free flying birds and raising captive
free flying birds and raising captive baby birds to be able to survive in the
baby birds to be able to survive in the
baby birds to be able to survive in the wild his organization has classes to
wild his organization has classes to
wild his organization has classes to teach free flying and they are working
teach free flying and they are working
teach free flying and they are working on conservation efforts worldwide so I
on conservation efforts worldwide so I
on conservation efforts worldwide so I got some help and got into contact with
got some help and got into contact with
got some help and got into contact with him and we had a conversation about what
him and we had a conversation about what
him and we had a conversation about what he’s doing so he told me that this all
he’s doing so he told me that this all
he’s doing so he told me that this all started when one of his birds kept on
started when one of his birds kept on
started when one of his birds kept on escaping from an aviary but he noticed
escaping from an aviary but he noticed
escaping from an aviary but he noticed that it would always come back so he
that it would always come back so he
that it would always come back so he applied this to free flying birds
applied this to free flying birds
applied this to free flying birds because he knew that they knew how to
because he knew that they knew how to
because he knew that they knew how to come back from realize that if he taught
come back from realize that if he taught
come back from realize that if he taught baby birds how to survive in the wild
baby birds how to survive in the wild
baby birds how to survive in the wild from a young age and how to free fly
from a young age and how to free fly
from a young age and how to free fly then he could replenish wild populations
then he could replenish wild populations
then he could replenish wild populations by breeding birds one limiting factor to
by breeding birds one limiting factor to
by breeding birds one limiting factor to this is actually the government
this is actually the government
this is actually the government regulation on birds he told me that a
regulation on birds he told me that a
regulation on birds he told me that a lot of a lot of his recon servation
lot of a lot of his recon servation
lot of a lot of his recon servation efforts have been hindered because of
efforts have been hindered because of
efforts have been hindered because of government regulation of owning Indian
government regulation of owning Indian
government regulation of owning Indian your birds oftentimes they’re not you’re
your birds oftentimes they’re not you’re
your birds oftentimes they’re not you’re not able to trade them so he could not
not able to trade them so he could not
not able to trade them so he could not repopulate these populations and many of
repopulate these populations and many of
repopulate these populations and many of these verses will continue to go extinct
these verses will continue to go extinct
these verses will continue to go extinct because of this so ironically the
because of this so ironically the
because of this so ironically the problem of going birds going extinct in
problem of going birds going extinct in
problem of going birds going extinct in the wild is continuing due to legal and
the wild is continuing due to legal and
the wild is continuing due to legal and illegal practices
illegal practices
illegal practices now he finished her conversation by
now he finished her conversation by
now he finished her conversation by showing us some of the birds that he
showing us some of the birds that he
showing us some of the birds that he owns so here is a son parakeet family in
owns so here is a son parakeet family in
owns so here is a son parakeet family in their home for travelling and here is
their home for travelling and here is
their home for travelling and here is Gena
Gena
Gena who can sing a beautiful rendition of
who can sing a beautiful rendition of
who can sing a beautiful rendition of Old MacDonald now if you’re not ready to
Old MacDonald now if you’re not ready to
Old MacDonald now if you’re not ready to own Gena that’s okay just know you we
own Gena that’s okay just know you we
own Gena that’s okay just know you we can also enjoy birds outdoors and in the
can also enjoy birds outdoors and in the
can also enjoy birds outdoors and in the wilds last thing I want to say is to
wilds last thing I want to say is to
wilds last thing I want to say is to spread this information let other people
spread this information let other people
spread this information let other people know about the issues so that together
know about the issues so that together
know about the issues so that together we can stop it and change our ways the
we can stop it and change our ways the
we can stop it and change our ways the more people working against the illegal
more people working against the illegal
more people working against the illegal bird trade the more likely it is to be
bird trade the more likely it is to be
bird trade the more likely it is to be abolished
abolished
abolished so that birds can continue to represent
so that birds can continue to represent
so that birds can continue to represent freedom thank you
freedom thank you
freedom thank you [Applause]
”
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