External Programs

There is more to what we do than just taking in birds. We fully understand that the birds need a safe place where they can be themselves. But that purpose has hard limits. We can only help so many birds. To be truly effective, we must address why there are so many birds finding themselves without homes.

Research and experience show that reasons for birds being surrendered to rescues range widely. The number one reason we have heard is “I just don’t have time for them.” Most often, this is an excuse. Allocating time is a matter of priorities and level of commitment. Sadly for these birds, they are often purchased without the level of commitment necessary to bring a loud, messy, destructive creature with an intelligent mind and a strong will into a human home.

Often when we try to address this reason, we find that there are other factors than time that have brought the person to the decision that the bird must go. Sometimes it is a spouse who is upset at chewed woodwork or dealing with the messes. Sometimes it is the volume of the noise.

It helps when – like getting marriage counseling before a wedding – the humans research what they will be getting into. That’s where we come in.

We offer free classes for those thinking of getting a bird. These are structured around introducing the human to bird needs and behavior that they are not likely to hear from a seller of birds. We cover everything from nutritional needs to bird behaviors. Our goal is to enable the human to enter their relationship with their bird with knowledge and understanding of what it takes to make a long-term commitment to a bird.

Our Education program focuses on community education. We offer free speakers to public and homeschool classes, civic groups, clubs, and many other types of groups. We want to proactively educate the public on the plight of unwanted captive birds, the level of commitment required to successfully live with birds, and hopefully to prevent impulse purchase of birds.

Life happens, we understand that. Our Outreach program addresses those circumstances that, without intervention would result in a need for birds being surrendered. We assess needs, and provide assistance with the goal of keeping families and birds together.

Internal Programs

Fresh is Best –
Our fresh food program starts with a partnership with Double B Farm,a local family produce farm. We get all our in-season produce from them via weekly subscription “boxes” as well as VERY generous donations of produce. During the off-season, we buy organic produce from the local Sprouts Farmers Market , Earth Fare, and a few other select stores in the area, to provide the biggest variety of fresh produce we can to the birds. The key to feeding a complete diet is offering the widest variety of foods to cover a broad nutritional spectrum.

In-House Dry Food –

We produce a dry mix that we can leave in the birds’ bowls all day for them to snack on at their leisure. Many commercial dry foods – including most pellets – contain cheap filler ingredients with little nutritional value. In the case of pellets, these cheap ingredients are supplemented with artificially added “nutrients”, many which are toxic if incorrectly added at higher-than-normal doses. One ingredient in particular that is common to most forms of manufactured diets (including some seed mixes) is menadione, a synthetic “source of vitamin K activity” used because it’s cheap and stable. It is hepatotoxic (toxic to the liver). We do not allow synthetic or artificially added nutrients in the food here. Our mix contains mostly dehydrated produce, along with healthy seeds, grains, and nuts. We sprout much of what we use, to provide added nutrition. All ingredients are human-grade food. No “field corn” or animal-feed-grade ingredients are ever used.