This episode is personal for us.

Today we’re joined by Rene Ebersole from WIRE — Wildlife Investigative Reporters and Editors. Rene is an investigative journalist who has spent years reporting on wildlife crime, environmental crime, and the exploitation of nature. Her reporting on the global parrot trade was one of the first things that made us stop and ask a hard question:

What role does social media play in creating demand for parrots?

In this conversation, Rene takes us behind the scenes of the global parrot trade — from African grey parrots being taken from the wild, to glue traps, pet markets, breeding systems, illegal laundering, and the businesses making money higher up the chain.

We also talk about the uncomfortable reality of cute parrot content. Parrots are intelligent, emotional, long-lived beings, and videos of talking birds can bring people joy. But they can also make people think, “I want one,” without understanding the lifelong commitment, the rescue crisis, or the demand that keeps the system moving.

This episode is not about guilt or shame. It’s about awareness, responsibility, and doing better once we know better.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why parrots are in demand because they are smart, social, and can talk
• How wildlife trade is driven by demand
• The reality of wild-caught African grey parrots
• Glue traps, poaching, and the high mortality rate of trafficked birds
• Why the people poaching birds are often exploited too
• How legal trade can hide illegal activity
• Why pet stores and social media can keep demand alive
• The difference between buying and adopting
• How new science, including microbiome testing, may help identify wild-caught birds
• Why rescue centers are overwhelmed
• How to think more responsibly about parrot ownership and parrot content

Rene’s reporting helped spark the mission behind Squawk Global, and this conversation is a big part of why we believe the message has to shift from:

“I want one”
to
“How can I help?”

Listen now and please share this episode with someone who loves parrots, watches parrot content, or is thinking about bringing a bird into their life.

Adopt, don’t shop.