i feel sorry for this bird. i hope he's okay healthwise re: the salmonella risk you mention, considering that his family may be taking him on more outings of this kind and exposing him to more wild animals.
i wasn't pleased in the least to see the following: the macaw had a "vanity" wing clip - they kept a few of his primaries long for an aesthetic appeal. this is a dangerous clip because the primaries thatare left can break off without support from the otehr feathers. also,
the bird was clearly frightened of the situation, and wanted to be picked up, but was helpless to help itself, because it couldnt fly away. its family seemed more interested in deriving amusement from the scene, instead of reading its body language.
youre right. some people just shouldnt keep parrots.
