Do parrots feel emotions?

[Wolf]

Well all that I have to add to this is that I have observed these emotions in animals of every kind whether the animal is aware of my presence or not and it is not that I projected anything on any one as it was easily observable behavior that was repeated by both the same animal and many others as well. The current research into this field is still in its infancy but there has been enough evidence presented that even among scientists the burden of proof is shifting from those who say animals have emotions to those who say otherwise.
There are none so blind as those who choose to not see.
No one has argued that training should not be based on observable and repeatable behavior because we all know that this is true. But by the same token when you observe an obvious act of pain, whether it is due to physical or mental and/ or emotional trauma it serves no purpose to deny it for what it is either.

[liz]

An example just happened. I have a Squeekie cat who goes in and out side all year long. I have an old Fancy cat who only goes out in the summer. When I opened the door to let Squeekie in Fancy stood there and looked out. Squeekie went right back out then turned around and looked at Fancy. She was telling Fancy that she would stay out with her and she did for 5 minutes until Fancy wanted back in.

If a cat can have compassion for another cat why can't a bird feel compassion.

When I get a new critter the others take responsibility for their training. Rambo teaching Myrtle was proof of that. The cockatiels teach the new cockatiels.

[Pajarita]

[When it comes to reading their pet's emotions, everyone seems to just make up whatever they want. Unlike observing behavior, this is largely based on the owner's emotions and not the animal's. You have no idea how many people I have encountered that say their bird likes, loves, or enjoys something (emotion) when the bird's behavior is actually quite the opposite. Same happens the other way when people say a bird hates them. Most of the time it's just the bird avoiding the person's actions (punishment) rather than some sort of emotion that the owner put on it. I disprove their emotional take by using some training and the behavior is solved. If you go on just pretending that it's all about emotions, you get nowhere with these situations. Meanwhile the behavioral approach works regardless of whether there is emotion behind it or not because it appeals to whatever unknown inner state the animal has because results are observable!

Ahhh, OK, yes, it is true that most people often read their parrots behavior wrong. I've also encountered myriad people misjudging a parrot's behavior... the most clear example been people saying their parrots were excited and interested in their surroundings when they go out and basing this belief on the fact that the bird remains on their shoulder perched straight, unmoving and looking around with a tense body (they compare it to a wide-eye kid in a zoo or a show) when, in reality, the poor thing is on high alert from being in a strange and potentially dangerous place but that doesn't mean the animal doesn't have emotions (in this example, anxiety and fear), it only means the human doesn't know enough about parrots in general and his/her own, in particular. But I doubt that treating animals like living machines is the answer that benefits the animal the most.