My opinions shared on this page are based on my personal experience. I have visited seven specialty bird stores in Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York. Their size varied from small to very large. Based on these visits, Parrots and Company was the best overall. The seven stores are:
Connecticut
Exotic Birds by Windsong, Orange
Featherlust Farm, Old Saybrook
Parrots and Company, Stamford
New Hampshire
Bird Supply of New Hampshire, Nashua
New Jersey
Bird Paradise, Burlington
Todd Marcus' Birds Exotic, Cinnaminson
New York
Bird Jungle, Scarsdale
For each category listed below, I've given an evaluation on a 1 to 5 scale. A score of 1 being the best possible score, 3 an average score, and 5 the lowest possible score. This evaluation is based on what I would expect from a specialty bird store. The scores are based on what was observed in each store, not on what is listed on their web sites.
Most important to me is that the standards for the care of birds is high. Cleanliness is a good indicator of care. I also realize that birds are messy and some feathers, food, or waste may be present. Parrots and Company was the cleanest store I have visited. In addition to the bird areas being clean, the products they carry are clearly arranged and not covered with dust. I would give Parrots and Company a score of 1.
For comparison purposes, the other stores I visited would earn scores of 2, 2, 2, 4, 4 and 5. The three stores earning 2's would have received 1's, except some of the products on their shelves were covered with dust. The stores earning a 4 or 5 earned those based on the accumulated mess around their birds and one store used cedar shavings as a substrate, which I've repeatedly read was harmful to birds..
Parrots and Company consistently has fresh food, water, and seed/pellet mixes available for their birds. I would give Parrots and Company a score of 1.
For comparison purposes, the other stores I visited would earn scores of 1, 1, 2, 4, 4 and 5. Stores earning a 4 earned this score based on the appearance of the food or water not looking changed and fresh on the day I observed it. The store earning a 5 had several cages with water containers, but no water in them.
This was a difficult category to evaluate. This is because the safety and security from theft of the birds needed to be considered by each store. I would give Parrots and Company a score of 1. A large number of their birds are typically out on play gyms with the opportunity to interact with other birds and customers.
For comparison purposes, the other stores I visited would earn scores of 2, 2, 3, 3, 3 and 4. Some stores keep most of their birds in cages. Others keep their birds in Plexiglas enclosures. Most have a few play gyms with a limited number of birds out on them. One store had many birds out in play areas, but received a lower score from me because I saw unsupervised (for approximately ten minutes) children (6-10 years of age) attempting to "play" with the birds (yes, I watched from a distance and monitored the bird's safety).
This takes into consideration that there is a certain level of seasonality that determines the available birds. Parrots and Company has a good variety of birds and usually multiple specimen of the same species. I would give Parrots and Company a score of 2.
For comparison purposes, the other stores I visited would earn scores of 1, 2, 3, 3, 4 and 5. The store earning a score of 1 had more variety and number of birds than all the other stores combined.. Some stores had good variety, but often only one specimen of a species. One store had only two species and three birds total.
Different parrots require variety in the size, style and material of toys. Compared to the stores visited, I would give Parrots and Company a score of 2. They clearly have the largest possible selection available within a 50 mile radius around them. They probably have what you want in most situations.
For comparison purposes, the other stores I visited would earn scores of 1, 1, 4, 4, 4 and 5. The size of the store clearly correlates to the number of toys they have available. Larger stores had more toys.
This category found a correlation with the toys category. The larger the store, the more cages and other products they typically had available. I would give Parrots and Company a score of 2. Again, they clearly have the largest possible selection available within a 50 mile radius around them and probably have what you want in most situations.
Scores of 1, 1, 4, 4, 4 and 5 were earned by the other stores I visited. The two stores earning 1 had the most cages and products, including many bulk packages of food. The stores receiving 4 had few cages and products. The one store with a 5 had no cages or other products for sale.
This was another difficult category to evaluate. See below for my reasons why. Again, for this category I would give Parrots and Company a score of 1. Though being the only and largest specialty bird store in their area, with no nearby competition, they could lower their standards. I have consistently been impressed with them. Employees are available and take time to answer my questions. Though on a busy Saturday or Sunday afternoon, it may take longer to get helped, once you are being helped they remain with you to assist you. The answers I have received to my questions show a strong understanding and knowledge of their birds and the products they sell. Where applicable, the pros and cons of the bird or product are shared. When explaining products, they do not direct me to the "highest priced" items, but show and explain a variety of products for me to base my decision upon. Finally, the answers I have received have been honest. At times, this honesty has stopped potential sales from them. If an answer is not known, I have been told "I'm not sure" and brought to another employee who may know the answer. I value and trust the honesty and integrity of the information I receive from them.
For comparison purposes, the other stores I visited would earn scores of 3, 4, 4, 5, 5 and 5. The main reason for these lower scores was a lack of assistance. Though the stores were not busy when I visited them, there was still a lack of assistance to me. Two of the stores receiving a score of 5, never had an employee ask to assist me, even though I was in the stores for over 30 minutes.
The final store receiving a score of 5 offered their assistance readily. I believe that the person offering me assistance was the owner of the store. Based on the answers I received, the problem was I felt his goal was to sell me a specific bird, a Congo African Grey. The answer to one question I asked, strongly made me question the honesty of the answer. I asked "I've read many concerns about feather plucking in African Greys. What do you think of this problem?" The answer I received was "I've sold and groom thousands of African Greys. I've only seen three with a feather plucking problem." This strongly contradicted what I've repeatedly read and personally observed several times. Though I know that there are many healthy Greys around, I know there are many with feather plucking problems.
My Final Words
I have the highest respect and appreciation for the owners and employees at Parrots and Company. Based on my experiences with them, I strongly recommend anyone owning or thinking of owning a companion parrot to visit them. Though I like visiting other stores to see "what's out there", I really have no need to because Parrots and Company has always had or been able to get me what I wanted. Based on their care for their birds; knowledge and honesty; and the variety of birds, cages, toys, food and other products they have, make them an outstanding bird specialty store. In my opinion they are clearly the best bird specialty store I have visited and I give them my highest recommendation.
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