LOS ANGELES — If you are a regular at Runyon Canyon or Griffith Park, there is a chance you’ve seen Chan Quach and his flock of rainbow-colored macaws soaring in the air.

Quach is a professional bird behaviorist focused on treating and preventing problematic behaviors by pet birds. He also trains owners on how to let their birds fly outside in safe areas and return to them, a practice known as free flying.

He shared his story with “LA Times Today.”

Quach sees the world as birds’ cage, rather than a literal birdcage indoors. He takes his flock of six macaws out with him on errands or to play.

“I like to take them out for a bike ride. I like to take them out for a walk. I like to take them out to get coffee. Sometimes they go into Home Depot because this is their life. Birds are always moving,” Quach said.

Quach explained parrots are very intelligent, with brains structured similar to humans.

“Two blue and gold males were the ones that made me realize how intelligent they were. They would walk over in the mornings, they kind of look and they observed, and then they try to tug on the blanket. And they knew that as long as I don’t look at them, they let me rest. And that level of awareness made me realize they’re just not made to be caged and left there. There was a sense of cognition and awareness in these birds,” he said.

Quach talked about the importance of developing a relationship with his birds and relinquishing the fear of them flying away.

“Birds were always born to fly. And I think if we were able to develop a relationship where the birds see you as a companion, as a parent, as a friend, they will never leave you. They may explore the sky and do their thing just like us every day, going out and saying, ‘Hey mom, I’ll be back and I’ll be back in 20 minutes.’ But they always come back,” he shared.

Quach trains peoples’ birds, teaching both the owners and the birds how to balance the animals’ need to fly with being in a controlled environment.

To learn more about Quach and his flock. Follow him on Instagram @ChanTheBirdMan. There, you can discover more about bird training and book a consultation with Quach.

Watch the full video above.

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