How to Prepare Yourself for Rescue Work

Birds' Arrival 244

Senegal Parrot waving “hello.”

 

If you dream of opening your own parrot rescue or sanctuary (and let’s be honest, it crosses the minds of a lot of us once we’ve seen how birds suffer in the wrong environments!), the most important step of all is to get yourself ready. Many owners find that they are not suited mentally, physically, or emotionally.

What is the difference, first of all, between a parrot rescue and a parrot sanctuary? A rescue typically rehabilitates an ...

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A Day In The Life Of A Parrot Rescue Worker

Ever volunteered at a parrot rescue centre? Want to? Well, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like, this is how my days there usually go.

Fridays are our busiest day of the week, it is called “clean up Friday” after all. Now I usually arrive around 7am, Dee (owner of Brainy Birds) and I sit down for some morning tea before heading into the craziness! First things first, take all the birds in the “big bird room” (the room where most of our big birds sleep) out of their cages so that some of our dedicated volunteers can start cleaning ...

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Upside Down Birds! – Photo Contest November 2014

Birds, because they have wings, have a special relationship with gravity. They don’t have to live with a fear of falling so we often find them in many precarious positions. Active birds spend a lot of time upside down – some even sleep that way! Our contest this month is all about the fearless upside down bird!

The Rules

The photos may show your bird hanging from an object or a person. There are only two rules qualifying the photos for this contest:

  1. Photos MUST NOT ...

     

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Controlling Seasonal Bird Noise

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Male King Parrot. He nests close to my house and is constantly talking to my Eclectus from this tree. (Pepi taught him to talk by yelling “Hello” over and over when he was nesting here a few years ago).

When the warmer months come, there is one difficult part about living where your pet birds also live wild. That problem? Noise!

Every year, as spring arrives – the increase in wild bird visitors to my place is significant. Sometimes they come as a flock and ...

 

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Should I Increase The Humidity For My Sub-tropical Parrot Species?

Q – I have a blue and gold macaw which comes from the rainforest in South America. Since it is very humid there, how much should I raise the humidity in my bird room?

– Norman H., Missoula, MO

A – This is a great question and the answer is surprisingly simple. It goes hand in hand with a very commonly asked question: “how warm should I keep my bird room?”

These questions arise based ...

 

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Five Quick Tips for Handling Animals with “Group” Mentality

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Macaw flock at the Island Parrot Sanctuary

 

Evolutionarily speaking, gathering in numbers is advantageous for everyone. Predators don’t know who to munch first unless their prey is noticeable, and thus, the fittest animals survive while the weak and sick get eaten. Parrots, dogs, and horses all find security in their groups, and tend to not like being separated from them.

I work on a farm with 1,500lb horses who all have the capacity to kill me – even though they are all wonderful animals. As ...

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