rescue owner dies.

[Wolf]

I don't knw, but they seem to me to be trying to give these birds a place to live out their life in with the company of other parrots. I saw several pictures and except for the special needs birds, although I saw cages, the birds were not in them. As I understand it there is still construction going on and I can understand them not showing these areas, just as I can understand their showing off their shop. They are selling thing to support the birds as well as relying on sponsers and donations. I admit that I did not see skylights, but if the outdoor aviaries are there as they say, then skylights are just an added expense in heating such a large building. I wish they did include pictures of the aviaries, but that might pose a security issue as there are strange people who steal birds such as these. While it may not be ideal it does appear to be at least as good or better than many private homes.
The founder who died was against breeding these birds and was trying to educate people as to why these wonderful birds should not be pets, she was one of those animal rights activists, some of whom I agree with and some of whom I do not as there are some who do not seem to me to really care about animals and are just in it for the money. Just as some rescues and sanctuaries are in it for the money.
23,000sq. feet of space for 900 birds works out to 25.5 sq. feet for each bird most cages only provide about 6 square feet of space for each bird. I really think that this place is trying to do good things for these birds and yes it does have to cater to some degree to the notions of the public as that is a primary source of their income to support the birds.
Yes, I see areas that could be different and better for the birds but actually I expected to see that.

[Pajarita]

I saw only one flight, the macaw one. And, yes, I agree, they seem to be trying real hard but my concern is that you need A LOT of funding for 900 birds - and for a VERY long time, too! The thing is, unless you are a HUGE organization and have hired a professional fundraising firm, you can't support something like this for the next 40 years... not properly, anyway. And this is what I am seeing, galvanized wire, free-feeding a seed mix (there was fresh produce in the pictures but the question is whether it was there for the pictures or is this something that they get every day) - the flight was nice and roomy but it had only a double row of lights when it should have had two and yes, it had nice branches but most of the birds were on their own -meaning, not in pairs. I do agree with trying to get parrots to live like parrots but, when it comes to the large species, taking the human companion out of the equation puts a lot of stress in their lives because they are very deeply imprinted to them and there is no way you can have that many volunteers that will be there for the birds for the duration. Am I too picky? Most likely I am... but I think that it's better to have a smaller operation where you can pay more attention to the individual birds as well as details like diet and light and try to find new homes for the ones that you can than just make large aviaries for them to live the rest of their lives in...

Now, don't misunderstand me! Overpopulation and the large number of given-up parrots is not only a HUGE problem, it's also one that we are not prepared to cope with. I really do not know of any large rescue/sanctuary that is actually doing it the 'right' way - and it's not because they don't try! It's that parrots are too hard - dogs are easy, you give them commercial food, a warm place to sleep, the company of other dogs, a bit of love, a toy or two, and some exercise and they do OK (not well - well but OK) until you find them a new home - but parrots are another story.

[Wolf]

Maybe you are being too picky and maybe you are not, I don't know and am not qualified to make that determination, so I will not even try to. The only things that I am certain of are that no matter how large or small such a place as this is there are going to be mistakes as well as areas that there is room for improvement. Also with as little as we actually know and understand about these birds that the mistakes will likely out number any thing else for a long time to come.

The only thing that I can say about this place is that they do appear to be attempting to do what is best for these birds to the best of their knowledge and I can and do appreciate that.

[Pajarita]

Yes, I agree and I appreciate it, too! But I have seen small operations that are really very good: good diet, good light, nice size rooms for them to fly in while still living in individual cages, personal attention, adoption with the right kind of requirements, etc. - granted, just a few of them are that good but, like I always say, if one can do it, others can too. Large sanctuaries scare me because I always think that, on some level, there is a hoarding streak going on... I mean, why would anybody believe that every macaw, a species that imprints SOOOOO deeply to people, would be happy in an aviary? There has to be a 'I know more and can do it better than anybody else' mentality going on there - know what I mean?

[Wolf]

Perhaps so, again all I can go by is what I see and read on their site and although they don't adopt them out they do have sponsers for some of them, which works for those that want to help but for whatever reason don't want or can't have a bird. They also have volunteers to help with the birds and to interact with them so although they are trying to give them an aviary type of living space for those that can adjust to it, I don't think it is without any human interaction and attention. It may not be enough attention but, I can't say because I don't know how much interaction is occurring. Sometimes suspicions are well founded and sometimes they are not, but given the current situations that many of these birds find themselves in, it is usually a good idea to remain a bit suspicious of this type of place regardless of the size of it.