Our avian friends have two types of behavior, innate or learned. Innate behavior means behavior that is inborn, that which is genetically transmitted from an adult to its young. In this day and age, we would describe it in computer language as "hard-wired." Learned, or acquired behavior, covers all the complex actions, sounds and interactions that the young bird learns after it is hatched (often even before it is hatched, as parents and young communicate during the piping period). During the time the parents feed it and during the hand-feeding period when humans take over the rearing, the bird is learning about its world and the important characters in it: its parents and then its hand-feeder (perhaps also its clutch-mates, unless it is a single youngster).

Birds continue to learn as they develop during the first years of life. The innate behaviors and the learned behaviors can both be seen in a young bird. For instance, one innate behavior common to most flying birds, whose normal habitat is the trees, is to avoid going to the ground, or for captive birds, going to the bottom of the cage.

Young weaned birds placed in a new environment will seek the highest possible perches. Tempting food dishes placed on the floor of their cage will go completely untouched or only slightly touched. The bird may venture down, quickly grab a morsel and retreat to the safety of the upper perches. This bird does not think that the environment is secure for it to safely go down to the cage bottom and eat from the dish. Instead, the bird is directed by a strong survival instinct that overrides the need for food. In the wild, this instinct keeps the bird away from ground dwelling predators such as snakes, lizards and other flesh-eating mammals. Likewise, this same instinct often keeps companion birds from staying on the cage bottom (even though predators do not reside in your family room).

In the wild, young birds learn what to eat from their parents that fly to the fruiting trees or nut-bearing trees or bushes. The youngsters accompany their parents and imitate them. If the parents do not eat certain berries or fruits, the youngsters also avoid them. This is how they learn not to eat something dangerous or poisonous. Similarly, young companion birds in the home will eat what they have learned to eat during the weaning stage and immediately afterwards. They will eat what they see clutch mates or other birds eat, or what they have been handed by the person who cares for them.

It is important to provide a great variety of foods to young weaning birds. If they are only fed a limited diet of seeds, maybe pellets and a few fresh items, they will be reluctant to try many new food stuffs in the future. The hand-feeder and the new owner need to provide a wide variety of foods to the young bird so that it learns to eat a healthy diet and is willing to try new foods.

There are two major behavioral learning stages that contribute to well-rounded socialization in a companion bird. The first is the socialization that takes place during hand rearing. This period is very important as it establishes the level of trust of humans in the young bird. Development of trust occurs during each and every instance that the hand-feeder is handling the bird. This includes moving the bird in order to clean the brooder, moving the youngster prior to feeding, keeping the youngster in the correct brooder environment and having the correct baby cage. When hand-feeders are rough with the babies, the babies learn that human hands are to be feared. Once this early learning takes place, it is not easy to override it with gentle handling at a later age.

After baby birds are correctly raised and weaned and go into their new home to be companions, the most critical period of socialization begins. Unfortunately, many new bird owners do not realize that each of their interactions with the bird is teaching the bird about them and their relationship with the bird. They do not understand that everything they do with their new feathered companion is going to profoundly affect the bird.

New owners often view their new bird as a fully developed creature (since it is fully feathered) that is going to "adjust" or "fit into" their life exactly as they have imagined. Sometimes these preconceptions have nothing to do with the reality of the specific bird, its specie's characteristics or its background. For example, a jogger may expect the bird will learn to fly along with them while jogging on a forest trail. The reality is that hawks exist in the wild (and even in cities) and thus pose a threat to a single flying parrot. Or a new bird owner will expect his or her bird to learn the kinds of tricks viewed at bird shows, not realizing that birds in shows are older and have spent many hours learning their skills from experienced trainers.

Socializing a young parrot into a new home is not a matter of a few hours, a few days or even a few weeks. Since the young bird is continuously developing over the first few years in its new home, socialization of this bird is also a continuous process. Consistent gentleness in handling and establishment of a reasonable daily routine will go a long way towards achieving the goal of the perfect parrot. It may be difficult for the new bird owner to recognize the importance of consistent gentleness and following a routine, because the new bird owner has purchased a bird for fun and enjoyment and relaxation. If the new bird owner fails to be consistent in handling and following daily routines, the bird may end up being spoiled and the owner unhappy.

Due to the fact that the most continuous socialization occurs for the young bird in its new home, it is important that the new owner is thoroughly educated about this process and about his or her responsibilities for its success. Responsible breeders who sell directly to the public generally provide their clients information about the bird and its needs. Responsible pet stores also provide information about the care of the birds they sell. The wise owner will go beyond this initial instruction and search out books and Internet information about the companion bird that he or she has chosen. This extra effort on the part of the buyer will make a great difference in proper socialization of the young bird and in the eventual quality of the bird as an adult.