Liz Wilson, CVT, Parrot Behavior Consultant
Editor’s note: The bird community lost Liz Wilson when she passed away on April 13, 2013. Please visit our dedication page for her full biography, photos and comments from her colleagues.
Liz Wilson is a certified veterinary technician (CVT) and a Parrot Behavior Consultant who has been living and working with parrots for over 40 years. She wrote the Parrot Psychology column for Bird Talk Magazine, and has authored or co-authored eight textbook chapters on parrot behavior.
She has two books of article reprints,the Handbook of Avian Articles - Vol. II & I, which can be ordered through her website. She is retired now, and not taking new clients.
Articles by Liz:
Uncover The Pitfalls Of Problem Behaviors in Pet Birds
Parrots are wonderful if you have a low tolerance for boredom like I do. Despite living and working with them for over three decades, I still find their complexities stimulating and the study of their behaviors both fascinating and absorbing.
Accidental Rewards for Pet Bird Aggression
There is no such thing as a parrot biting for no reason. No such thing. It is, however, common for a parrot to bite for no reason that humans understand. BIG difference.
Pet Birds And Excessive Screaming: Rewarding The Wrong Thing
Changing a parrot’s behavior usually means the humans have to change their behavior first — not always so easy. So we look for ways around the problem behavior, ways to change what leads up to the problem behavior.
Parrot Behavior: What Are You Actually Rewarding?
A fundamental rule of behavior is that no animal, human or otherwise, continues a behavior if it isn’t reinforced. These rewards are crucial to identify and understand because they are the reason that our birds continue to present behaviors that we do not like.
15 Things Every Parrot Owner Should Do
Check out part two of Liz’s Parrot Psychology column “Do’s & Don’ts For Living With Parrots: Part II, The Do’s.” This LafeberCares exclusive will help you and your pet bird get on the right track in the year ahead and beyond.
Do’s and Don’ts For Living With Parrots
Life with parrots can be complicated, but it gets simpler if you avoid these 18 things. If you haven’t avoided them all, keep trying!
Decipher Your Pet Parrot’s Vocalizations
Parrots can be extremely vocal critters, and you can find out a lot about your pet parrot’s mood by the sounds it makes. What’s behind that laugh, the gibberish talk, or why the ear-piercing shriek?
Learn the Polite Way to Train Your Parrot
Politeness means accepting that our parrots should not be expected to wait around in the hopes that we will choose to interact with them. They have their own lives, after all, and they have a right to choose not to interact with us whenever we might wish it. It means not expecting them to be at our beck and call.
“Parronting” Styles with Parrots
Since it behooves us to periodically examine our relationships with our parrots, we should consider these different parenting approaches in terms of our pet birds.
Why An Avian Vet ?
An avian veterinarian is critical to the health of your feathered friend, so use these tips to find out how to find a knowledgeable avian veterinarian.
18 Ways to Drive an Avian Vet Crazy
The following list is compiled from experiences I had working for twenty years with avian veterinarians. Each is true. Bird owners drive their avian veterinarians crazy when they do the following.
Why Is Avian Medicine So Expensive?
Yes, avian medicine is much more expensive than dog and cat medicine. Why is that? There are several reasons, which I will explain, but the main one is TIME.
