We focus on larger parrots including conures, Quakers, Ringnecks, Amazons, cockatoos, African Greys, Eclectuses, and Macaws. Occasionally we have smaller birds available, but we have partnerships with organizations that specialize in small parrot rescue.

The first step is to fill out an application for one of our birds. We will send you an email with a link to schedule your virtual interview where we will go over your applications, see where you plan to keep your bird, and answer any questions you have.

Then we move onto the in-person meet-and-greet appointment where you will be able to see your bird in person for the first time and start building your initial bond.

If everything goes well, on our end, we will have our avian veterinarian medically clear your bird (exam, fecal sample to check for bacteria, DNA test to rule out common avian diseases).

Before you take your bird home, you must have a travel carrier and cage that meet our minimum dimensions, adequate perching, toys, food, accessories, and a place to perch outside of the cage such as a playstand or training stand.

On take-home day, you will sign our adoption contract, pay the adoption fee, and begin your 3 month foster-to-adopt period.

We do everything within our power to ensure that these birds’ next home is their forever home, so we want to make sure you are completely prepared to bring your new bird home.

That means that you have enough space, equipment, time, and funds to keep your bird happy and healthy for the rest of their life.

Anyone who keeps captive wild animals can tell you that their care and medical expenses can be very expensive and time-consuming. Your bird needs to be factored into every aspect of your life including travel, relocation, changes in income, and even ultimately your own passing because birds often outlive their owners.

Parrot adoption is a serious, often life-long commitment, and we ask that you are practically, mentally, and financially prepared for the experience.

For the first three months after you bring your new bird home, we consider you a foster home.

Parrots take time to settle into new environments, and it may take months before your bird is comfortable enough in your home and with you to regularly interact with you and show their full personality. Birds are naturally vigilant and cautious due to their prey survival instincts.

Taking time to build consistency and trust with your bird is essential to forming a true bond, and that process cannot be rushed.

During the foster-to-adopt period, we are here to support you through the initial stages of bird ownership and provide resources for your training and avian education.

If you decide during the initial three month period that the bird is not a good fit, you can return them to the rescue for a partial refund of the adoption fee.

You are financially responsible for the bird’s care, diet, and medical expenses unlike traditional foster homes, and you are not permitted to rehome the bird within the three month period to prevent the bird further dysregulation and displacement trauma.

This really depends on the bird and your situation.

If you have already demonstrated to us that you have adequate experience with birds and knowledge about parrot care, enrichment, diet, and training and you have an approved cage and travel carrier, then it is possible to take your bird home on meet-and-greet day.

We also need to see you handle the bird during your appointment and determine whether the bird is comfortable with you.

Some birds need multiple in-person appointments with their new families, and some birds adjust more easily to change and can go home the same day.

The majority of birds are not true free flight candidates because free flight requires a high level of flight skill. We need our birds to be able to evade hazards like birds of prey in an emergency situation.

While we do everything in our power to keep our birds safe, the environment outside can change in an instant. It is important for free flight birds to be able to make life-saving decisions and to be able to physically out fly a predator.

Successful free flyers are birds that use flight as their main form of transportation and are able to quickly change direction, complete u-shaped boomerang flight patterns, and have the strength to ascend and descend.

Free flight is built on the trust and bond between the bird and their handler. The bird needs to find the reward of being with their handler more motivating than anything else, and their handler needs to be their safe place when they are in a panicked situation. Birds that have the instinct to fly off and not to their handler are not suited for free flight.

To assess your own bird, ask yourself:

1. Is my bird physically fit enough to evade a bird of prey?

2. How strong is my bond with this bird? Are they more likely to fly to me or away from me in an emergency situation?

3. Is my bird capable of making life-saving decisions, or are they likely to freeze? Do I see my bird exhibiting signs of vigilance like scanning the sky for hazards, or do they seem unaware of their surroundings?

   It is essential that you assess your bird’s capacity as objectively as possible.

   If your bird is not a free flight candidate, that doesn’t mean that outdoor flight is not possible for them. They may do better outside on a harness, in a flight cage, or practicing flight recall inside of an aviary or secure batting cage.

We do not teach any kind of course, class, or workshop on free flight or bird training.

We are not professional trainers, and while we can offer support and advice based on our own experience, we are not free flight experts.

The purpose of our training club is to provide resources on bird care and training while also being a supportive community for its members. We can learn from each other, and we are all on this free flight journey together.

Remember that no matter how much experience you have, there is always something new to learn, and we are always finding ways to improve our care.