There will be plenty of Pollys wanting crackers in Edmonton this weekend as dozens of St. Albert-area bird-lovers gather to share their love of parrots.
About 500 people will head to Edmonton’s Wyndham Hotel this March 15 for the 2025 Edmonton Pet Parrot Show. The event is organized by the Greater Edmonton Parrot Society and will feature parrots and parrot owners from St. Albert.
St. Albert parrot owner Nicole Swanson said she plans to bring two macaws (BG, who is blue and gold and often accompanies her around town, and Torretto, who is red and green) to the event. Her 30-odd other parrots will presumably stay behind to watch the house.
Swanson said she started off with about six parrots and has taken on the others as rescues in the last 40 years.
“It’s very hard to find homes for birds,” she said, so most of them have stayed with her.
Big commitment
Greater Edmonton Parrot Society vice-president Roger Pelletier said next week’s show aims to teach people about the pros and cons of parrot ownership.
“We have a number of people who get into this and don’t know what they’re doing,” he said, which means their birds end up abandoned in animal shelters.
Pelletier said about 50 parrots and their owners will be at next week’s show ready to answer any questions guests have about parrot ownership. There will also be pet supply vendors, a veterinarian, and a scavenger hunt for the kids.
Parrots are highly intelligent and interactive pets, capable of playing pranks and doing whatever tricks you can teach them, Swanson said. Her birds have been known to dunk basketballs, glide around on roller skates, play hide-and-seek, hang upside-down, and pull other goofy stunts.
“They’re hilarious. They’re very, very funny.”
But that intelligence means you can’t just put your parrot in a cage and forget about it, Pelletier said. They need regular stimulus and social interaction, lest they develop psychological issues. They’re also very good at destroying toys, which is why many owners make their own out of string and paper tubes.
Parrots are also pretty loud and messy, which means they aren’t a good fit for apartment dwellers, Pelletier and Swanson said. They can get jealous of other pets and family members, and can also easily outlive their owners, as some live for more than a century. Owners also have to be cautious about Teflon pans and scented products, the fumes from which can kill parrots.
Parrots are a lifelong commitment and aren’t for everyone, Swanson said.
“You have to be really committed to having a bird, because your whole life is going to revolve around the bird.”
The Edmonton Pet Parrot Show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wyndham Edmonton Hotel (4440 Gateway Boulevard) this March 15. Tickets cost $7 ($5 for youths, $20 for a family of four, free for those aged five and under) and are available at the door.
