Amazon Associates Program Disclosure
⚠️ Required Amazon Associates Statement
Our Amazon Associate tag is: [YOUR-ASSOCIATE-TAG]. This tag is embedded in product links throughout the site so Amazon can attribute qualifying purchases to our account.
What this means in practice: When you click a product link on our site that goes to Amazon, and you make a qualifying purchase within 24 hours, we receive a small advertising commission — typically between 1% and 10% depending on the product category. You pay exactly the same price as any other Amazon customer. Our commission comes from Amazon, not from you.
California Flocks earns affiliate commissions to help fund our ongoing field research, expert content creation, and the operational costs of running californiaflocks.org. Without this revenue, much of our free content would not be possible.
Typical Amazon Commission Rates by Category
| Product Category | Commission Rate | Relevant To This Site |
|---|---|---|
| Pet Products | 3.0% | ✓ Yes — Parrot cages, food, toys |
| Camera & Photo | 3.0% | ✓ Yes — Field documentation gear |
| Books | 4.5% | ✓ Yes — Parrot care & ornithology books |
| Electronics | 2.5% | ◦ Occasionally — Binoculars, cameras |
| All Other Categories | 1–4% | ◦ Varies by product |
Commission rates are set by Amazon and subject to change. Current rates are published at Amazon’s Associates Program fee schedule.
FTC Endorsement Guides Compliance
Federal Trade Commission — 16 CFR Part 255
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that bloggers and content creators clearly disclose any “material connection” to a brand, product, or service they endorse or recommend — including affiliate relationships, free products received for review, and sponsored content. California Flocks complies fully with these requirements.
Our Material Connections Include:
- ✓ Amazon Affiliate Links: We earn commissions when you purchase products through our Amazon links. This is disclosed on every relevant page.
- ✓ Other Affiliate Programs: Where applicable, we may participate in non-Amazon affiliate programs. These will be individually disclosed within the content.
- ✓ Sponsored Content: If we publish sponsored articles or accept payment to feature a product, that content will be clearly labeled “Sponsored” at the top of the post.
- ✓ Free Products for Review: If we receive a product at no cost in exchange for a review, we will disclose this prominently within that review. Our opinions remain our own.
- ✓ Google AdSense: We display third-party advertisements provided by Google. See Section 3 for full details.
Our commitment: We disclose affiliate relationships before you click any affiliate link — not buried in a footer at the bottom of a page after you’ve already made a decision. Disclosures appear at the top of articles containing affiliate links and on this standalone page, which is linked from our site header and footer.
For the official FTC guidance on disclosures, you can read the FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking.
Google AdSense Advertising Disclosure
California Flocks uses Google AdSense to display advertisements on this website. AdSense is a program run by Google LLC that serves contextually relevant ads to our visitors based on their browsing behavior, interests, and the content of the pages they visit.
How Google AdSense Works on This Site
- ✓ Google may use cookies and web beacons to serve ads based on your prior visits to our site and other sites on the internet.
- ✓ Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to our site and/or other sites on the internet.
- ✓ Ad units displayed on this site are clearly labeled. They do not represent editorial endorsements by California Flocks.
- ✓ We do not control which specific ads are displayed — Google’s automated systems determine ad content based on contextual and behavioral signals.
- ✓ We receive a share of advertising revenue when visitors view or click on displayed advertisements.
Your Opt-Out Options
You have the right to opt out of personalized advertising. You can do this through the following official Google tools:
Manage personalized ad preferences 🚫 DAA Opt-Out Tool
Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out 📄 Google Privacy Policy
Full data & privacy policy
You may also disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some parts of this website. For browser-specific instructions, see your browser’s help documentation.
In-Post Disclosure Policy
In addition to this standalone Affiliate Disclosure page, California Flocks places inline disclosures directly within content wherever affiliate links appear. Here is exactly how and where disclosures appear on our site:
📍 At the Top of Articles Containing Affiliate Links
This appears above the fold — before the reader sees any product links or recommendations.
📍 Sitewide Disclosure Bar (Above Header)
A persistent amber disclosure bar appears at the very top of every page on californiaflocks.org, visible before any content loads. This ensures all visitors are informed of our affiliate relationships regardless of which page they land on.
📍 Within Product Recommendation Boxes
Each product recommendation card or “best of” box on our site includes a small “affiliate link” label adjacent to the “Buy on Amazon” button, making the commercial relationship unmistakably clear at the moment of click.
📍 Site Footer (Every Page)
The required Amazon Associates statement appears in the footer of every page on the site, ensuring compliance even for visitors who do not visit this disclosure page directly.
Our in-post disclosure policy is designed to exceed the FTC’s “clear and conspicuous” standard — meaning disclosures are placed where readers will actually see them, not hidden in fine print or accessible only through a buried page link.
Pricing & Product Information Accuracy
⚠️ Important Notice Regarding Prices
Product prices and availability displayed on californiaflocks.org are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change without notice. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of any products on that site.
We do not guarantee that prices shown in our articles, comparison tables, or product boxes reflect the current Amazon listing price. Always verify the current price on Amazon before making a purchase decision.
Additional Accuracy Notes
- ✓ Product Availability: Products featured in our articles may become unavailable, discontinued, or replaced with newer models. We attempt to update articles regularly but cannot guarantee real-time accuracy.
- ✓ Amazon API Data: Where we use Amazon’s Product Advertising API to display current prices, these are refreshed periodically but may not reflect real-time pricing or promotional discounts.
- ✓ Product Reviews: Star ratings and review counts shown in our content reflect data at time of writing. Amazon review data changes continuously.
- ✓ Commission Impact on Recommendations: See Section 6 (Editorial Independence) for our policy on how commission rates may or may not influence which products we recommend.
- ✗ We do NOT guarantee: That a product is currently in stock, that the price shown is the lowest available, or that a specific Amazon deal or discount is still active when you click.
If you notice a significant pricing error or outdated product information on any of our pages, please contact us and we will review and update the content promptly.
Editorial Independence
The content on California Flocks is written, reviewed, and approved by our team of named parrot experts — including field researchers, avian health specialists, and certified trainers. Our editorial decisions are made independently of our monetization arrangements.
“We will never recommend a product we don’t genuinely believe provides value to parrot owners — regardless of commission rates.”
— The California Flocks Editorial Team
- ✓ We research and evaluate products based on quality, safety for parrots, customer reviews, and expert input — not commission rate.
- ✓ Negative reviews and product criticisms are included in our coverage where warranted.
- ✓ We may feature products with no affiliate link if they represent the best option for our readers.
- ✓ Sponsored content (if any) is always clearly labeled as “Sponsored” and kept separate from editorial content.
- ✗ We do not accept payment to rank a product higher in a “Best Of” list.
- ✗ We do not allow affiliate commissions to determine our product winner or top pick.
- ✗ We do not write fake or inflated reviews for products we have not personally evaluated or sourced from credentialed experts.
What We Do & Don’t Do — Quick Reference
A plain-English summary of our affiliate and advertising practices:
✅ We DO
- ✓ Clearly disclose affiliate links before you click
- ✓ Earn commissions from Amazon when you buy via our links
- ✓ Display Google AdSense ads labeled as advertisements
- ✓ Recommend products our experts have researched or used
- ✓ Include honest negative feedback in product reviews
- ✓ Label sponsored posts clearly as “Sponsored”
- ✓ Update pricing accuracy notices on all product pages
- ✓ Respect your right to opt out of personalized advertising
✗ We DON’T
- ✗ Add hidden affiliate links without disclosure
- ✗ Charge you more because you use our affiliate links
- ✗ Accept payment to fake or inflate product scores
- ✗ Sell or share your personal data with advertisers
- ✗ Control which specific ads Google shows on our site
- ✗ Recommend products solely for higher commissions
- ✗ Guarantee prices or availability from Amazon
- ✗ Use misleading “sponsored” labels to disguise editorial content
Questions About This Disclosure?
If you have questions about our affiliate relationships, advertising practices, or any content on this page, we welcome your inquiry. Transparency is a core value at California Flocks and we are happy to provide clarification.
Email Us Directly
For disclosure-specific questions or to report an affiliate link that is not properly disclosed.
[email protected]Use Our Contact Form
Visit our contact page to send a message through our web form. We typically respond within 2 business days.
Go to Contact Page →📬 We aim to respond to all disclosure-related inquiries within 2 business days. This disclosure page was last reviewed and updated on March 29, 2026. If laws or our affiliate relationships change, this page will be updated promptly.