I logged in today after not even looking at it for about a month, and everything looks different. I'm not sure that I'll ever go back. The group had more or less fallen apart anyway, and I think the new format makes it harder to use.

Well now I need to see for myself.

.........what

I’m not even a mod anymore. I’m a ‘Premium Member’ haha.

Premium membership costs twenty bucks a year, so you're a privileged character! You get access to special premium-only forums, but you'll probably be the only one there. The free part of the board is close to being dead, and I can't imagine there being a lot of people willing to pay twenty bucks a year for a few useless benefits like a special badge on your profile.

Say what? $20 for a forum that’s been free for more than a decade? I don’t even see any different features regarding my status.

$20 a year for a group whose best days were a long time ago. It used to be a great group, but not so much any more. Here's what you're supposed to get for twenty bucks. You got it for free, but don't seem to be impressed lol:

Reduced-Ad Experience - Enjoy a reduced-ad experience while supporting the community

Access to Premium Forums - Exclusive access to premium-only discussions

Exclusive Premium Badge - Stand out with a premium badge on your profile

Unlock Focused Reading Mode - Switch off the right column so you can focus on reading

Uh ya I’m the only one on the premium tab. There’s no posts.

You know, I feel real bad for those people who need help with their cockatiels. They’re so passionate and excited but they won’t get any help there anymore.

It all depends on whether anybody shows up there who's willing to give advice. I help out occasionally, mostly with breeding and genetic advice, but I'm too burned out to deal with a lot of the routine questions.

It’s a shame really. I hope there are still some passionate, knowledgeable bird lovers over there who will help. I have been actively invested in birds since 2010/2011 so I’ve been around a few times too. It’s funny because while my love for parrots hasn’t gone away in all that time, I just don’t have much to contribute to the bird community these days.