Author
Emily Carter
Founder & Lead Writer · Portland, Oregon
I'm Emily — a parakeet keeper of eleven years, certified companion-bird care specialist, and the only person who writes for Perch & Plume. Every word here comes from a real flock living in my apartment in Portland, Oregon, and is reviewed by an avian veterinarian before it goes live.
Emily Carter has been raising parakeets for over 11 years. She started Perch & Plume in 2021 after rescuing her first budgie, Sky — a frightened, plucked little hen who taught her that good bird information is surprisingly hard to find. Today Emily shares calm, practical, vet-reviewed advice to help new and seasoned owners give their parakeets longer, healthier, more curious lives.
Eleven years, in order
2014
First budgie, Sky
Adopted a plucked rescue hen from a chain pet store. Two avian vets and a year of reading later, the obsession had begun.
2017
Built first flight aviary
Converted a spare bedroom into a free-flight room for a flock of four. Started keeping daily weight logs.
2019
CCBCS certification
Completed the Certified Companion-Bird Care Specialist program through the Avian Welfare Coalition.
2021
Launched Perch & Plume
Frustrated by copy-paste bird advice online, started this magazine — vet-reviewed, ad-light, written by one keeper.
2022
Lafeber avian first-aid
Completed Lafeber Vet's avian first-aid coursework after a near-miss with a Teflon pan in a neighbor's apartment.
2024
Vet collaboration formalised
Partnered with Dr. Marian Hollis (ABVP-Avian) to clinically review every guide before publication.
2026
Four-budgie flock today
Pip, Olive, Marlow, and Junebug — the live test team behind every product review on this site.
The birds I've taken in
Three of my four current and past budgies came from rescue or surrender. Each one taught me something I couldn't have learned from a book.
Sky
2014 – 2023
Plucked, terrified, and sold in a cardboard box. Lived nine more happy years on a pellet-and-veg diet in a proper flight cage. The bird who started everything.
Marlow
2020 – present
Surrendered to a Portland shelter at four months old with a splay-leg deformity. Now flies confidently and bullies the millet jar daily.
Junebug
2024 – present
Pulled from a hoarding case of 47 birds. Quarantined six weeks, treated for giardia, integrated slowly. Shy but learning to step up.
The corner of my living room where most of these articles get written — usually with at least one budgie on the laptop.
Certifications & affiliations
- 2019
Certified Companion-Bird Care Specialist (CCBCS)
Avian Welfare Coalition
- 2022
Avian First-Aid Certificate
Lafeber Vet Continuing Education
- 2023 – present
Allied Member
Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV)
- 2021 – present
Volunteer
Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue (intake support)
Veterinary collaboration
Since 2024, every guide on this site is reviewed by Dr. Marian Hollis, DVM, an ABVP-certified avian practitioner at Cascade Avian & Exotic Veterinary, Portland OR. Articles touching diet, illness, or first aid receive a clinical edit pass before publication and a re-review at least every 12 months. Each article carries a visible "Reviewed by" line and the most recent review date.
We also consult occasionally with Dr. James Okafor (Cornell-trained, exotic species) on topics outside common budgie care — feather-destructive behaviour, chronic egg-laying, and senior-bird palliative work.
A day with four budgies
- •06:30 — Uncover cages, open blinds, fresh water, weigh each bird (gram scale).
- •07:00 — Chop fresh veg: kale, bell pepper, grated carrot, sprouted mung. Pellets refilled.
- •12:30 — Out-of-cage flight time in the bird-safe room (no Teflon, no candles, windows covered).
- •18:00 — Foraging toys rotated. Soft music, lights dim 30 min before sleep.
- •20:30 — Cages covered. 12 hours of true darkness, every night.
How I test products
- Minimum 6 months of real-flock use before any product is mentioned by name.
- Cross-checked against current AAV and Lafeber clinical guidance.
- Cage and toy materials inspected for zinc, lead, and unsafe coatings (XRF spot-tests where possible).
- Foods analysed for ingredient list, pellet size, and added sugar/colourants.
- Zero affiliate-only recommendations. Anything I haven't bought with my own money is labelled clearly.
Why readers trust this site
- One author, named and accountable. No anonymous content farm. Email me — I read everything.
- Real flock, real photos. Every cage shot, every food bowl, every bird in a cover image lives in my home.
- Vet-reviewed before publish. If Dr. Hollis flags a claim, the claim doesn't ship.
- Updated, not abandoned. Every guide carries a last-reviewed date. If it's older than a year, it gets a re-read.
- No fake "best of" lists. Affiliate links, when present, are disclosed and only on products I've used 6+ months.
Questions, corrections, or just want to share a photo of your bird? Email me — it's the best part of running this place.