{"id":16203,"date":"2017-04-05T05:48:18","date_gmt":"2017-04-05T05:48:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/?p=16203"},"modified":"2025-08-13T12:22:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T17:22:10","slug":"inside-dr-pepperbergs-lab-parrot-picture-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lafeber.com\/pet-birds\/inside-dr-pepperbergs-lab-parrot-picture-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Dr. Pepperberg’s Lab: Parrot Picture Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Courtesy of Dr. Irene Pepperberg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/strong>Picture Perfect \u2026 Almost<\/h3>\n

As we begin planning the photo shoot for our \u201cWelcome Spring\u201d entry on Facebook, it struck me that most readers probably do not realize how much effort such shoots take. One might think that, because my parrots can do complex cognitive tasks<\/a> and comprehend and produce English, that they are perfectly trained in all respects. Such is absolutely not the case! Just because they will do things like wait 15 minutes for a better treat, or vocally identify some optical illusions, doesn\u2019t mean that they will happily have their picture taken. In fact, taking their picture necessitates dealing with several different (often simultaneous) problems.<\/p>\n

Using Parrot-Approved Backgrounds<\/h3>\n

The first issue is the background that we use for each picture. I am extremely fortunate to have had, both now and in the past, students who are superb artists, and who come up with terrific ideas for different types of props. You can see some of these gorgeous pieces of art on our Facebook page<\/a>. The problem is that the parrots<\/a> don\u2019t always agree with our artistic taste. So, there was that Hallows’ Eve when the humans thought our \u201cfriendly ghost\u201d was absolutely the cutest fellow ever\u2026but Athena took one look and tried to get as far away as possible! And the paper candy corn that really did look good enough to eat\u2026<\/p>\n

Capturing The Perfect Parrot Pose<\/h3>\n

The second issue is getting the birds to pose. Athena is rarely a problem. As soon as she sees the camera, she gets into her \u201cflirty\u201d mode. I\u2019m sure she was a runway model in a former life. Griffin, in contrast, despite being the subject of photo shoots for over 20 years, is of the \u201cdeer-in-the-headlights\u201d mentality. He can be sitting in the same place, on the same perch, and look absolutely adorable\u2026until he sees the camera. Sigh.<\/p>\n

Working With Two Parrots<\/h3>\n

The third issue is coordinating the two birds\u2019 behavior. I\u2019m sure that anyone who has worked with either small children or any animals can commiserate. Just when the lighting is perfect, both birds are looking at the photographer, and the angles between them couldn\u2019t be any better \u2014 one or the other decides it\u2019s time to poop. Or that a feather needs adjusting. Or it seems like the right time to hop off the perch and mess with a prop. Or one or the other decides that it\u2019s a good time for a nap. Or a sneeze. Or the phone rings and both birds startle. Or one of the other research associates in the lab inadvertently drops something and destroys everyone\u2019s concentration. Most of the time it\u2019s simply that when one parrot looks gorgeous, the other doesn\u2019t\u2026<\/p>\n

Fortunately, my lab managers have always had endless patience. They will go through dozens of pictures, trying to find one or two that capture the mood that we want. Maybe someday we should put together a booklet of \u201couttakes\u201d and sell it as a fundraiser item! You can see one of those pix \u2014 a \u201cgrumpy\u201d Grif when we were trying to photograph him getting some \u2018spoon tickles\u201d\u2026 cute, but not exactly the pose for which we were hoping!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Pepperberg gives a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of getting parrots to pose during photo shoots, where props and distractions abound. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":15498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[171,169],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-everyday","category-new"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nInside Dr. Pepperberg's Lab: Parrot Picture Day – Pet Birds by Lafeber Co.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dr. Pepperberg gives a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges of getting parrots to pose during photo shoots, where props and distractions abound.\" \/>\n<meta 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