OneMoreBird.com

I wrote this one for The Amazona Society as well, but with their new focus it never got published.

“The problem is there are not enough rescues, sanctuaries.”

You know I just do not see that as true. Not with Amazons. There was a rehoming survey done a bit back that caused a lot of ruckus, the one that never got all the data out. The young lady collating that data was at a Gabriel Foundation Seminar here in Portland Oregon, we had a chance to chat and off the record I was able to get a few bits of information, the numbers were not as big as were expected and the big “rehome” populations were the smaller Teils and Budgies and Lovebirds. (this is just hearsay because the actual data collected will never see the light of day, does not fit the original agenda). Amazons were in the lower numbers reported as rehomed.

A lot of talk out in cyber space about “unwanted birds”. Are birds sitting in rescues unable to find “proper” homes, “for ever homes”, homes that meet the rescue’s personal standards? Yes I think there might be, but why is that? I can think of several reasons, one unrealistic expectations-“you must donate six months of free labor to my rescue before I will consider you to adopt”. (yes, there are those). How about this one- “I will never place a bird in a potential breeding situation” (even if the bird desires to breed).

One Eye Jack, lost an eye when he was being smuggled across the boarder, the USFW service sold him at auction.

A few years back the Oregon Humane Society took on a large lot of birds in an emergency situation, I will not get into the down and dirty details of that situation but I was involved enough to know more than most folks. Anyway, the call went out for assistance, one rescue/sanctuary jumped in and helped out, a lot of breeders locally got feed, supplies, cages and cash together to help care for these birds. When the time came to place these formerly breeder birds it was clearly stated that, “no one who is considered a breeder will be considered for placement of these birds.” I did not stick around to ask why the Society could accept breeder aid but could not place birds with a breeder.

I do not rescue birds, I do not “take in unwanteds”. The birds I take on are very wanted, by me. Rehoming happens for a lot of reasons, most are not negative when done the right way. This fantasy folks have about “forever homes” is very upsetting. Even humans do not have “forever homes.” We may be raised in a home with loving parents, go off to daycare and school, move on to other accommodations-roommates, college, military service. We go find a mate-if we are real lucky we find “the mate” if not it may take three or four attempts to find the right mate to bond with. We start growing and maybe we buy a starter home, sell it buy a bigger home-new neighbor hood, new folks to interact with. Then we age and heck I really do not want to go there. Our birds do much the same, some times, they are a lot more flexible than we give them credit for. Problem is when folks, in the name of rescues become “hoarders” and refuse to make appropriate placements into new homes. “No one can care for them as well as…….” The rescue fills up and gee “we have a crisis”. There are those to who have created a method of making a damn good living begging for donations “to save the birds”, while traveling the world and vacationing in exotic locations.

Doodles was purchased with Tasha they were living in the back bedroom of a trailer in the dark.

When I take on a bird or birds in a rehoming situation I advise the folks VERY clearly that if and when I feel the birds will be better off in an alternative placement they will be given away, traded or sold as I see fit. Many have gone to better situations over the years and many keep in contact with me, some went into breeding homes, some into companion situations others are aviary birds for their pleasure and that of the new home they were rehomed into.

Yes I breed birds, yes I sell birds, and the birds that breed frankly support the other folks out here on the farm. But bottom line I am still and most likely always will be a breeder, I like raising parrots, the people I SELL the birds to like having parrots and God willing we will all continue to enjoy the companions we call Amazons.

Bob Wheeler