Please click on the thumbnails below to learn how you can help some special birds have a home for life through our "Virtual Adoption" program! More stories coming soon!

Birds who are now partly sponsored, thank you!

Birds who are now fully sponsored, thank you!

Nikki is a precious Moluccan Cockatoo who came to live at the Refuge as a result of a seemingly innocent environmental change at her former home. Nikki had been comfortably settled in her home for ten years, until one day her human owner installed a new linoleum floor. Many people are unaware that parrots are particularly sensitive to environmental changes. When parrots are in the vicinity of many synthetic substances, e.g. teflon pans used in cooking, and in Nikki's case, the toxins given off by new linoleum, they can become very ill and in some cases, die.

Nikki didn't know how to explain the toxic overload on her system to her human owner and began to self-mutilate. She over-preened herself in her distress, plucking out her feathers and tearing at her sensitive flesh. Her owner turned to the Refuge for help. Nikki now has a new home and is beginning to heal. With time, we hope she will learn that she is now in a parrot-safe environment, and no longer needs to pluck.

If you want to Virtually Adopt Nikki and contribute to her care, you may do so in a few ways:

• Click on the "Donate Now" button below to make a secure one-time, annual or monthly credit card payment with CanadaHelps.org, the national non-profit organization that collects charitable donations on behalf of Canada's registered charities. This very safe method is our preferred choice as it reduces overheads and helps us focus our efforts on caring for the parrots.

  
• OR Visit our donations page to learn about other payment options for contributing to virtual adoption.
• OR Click on the button below to fill out a simple virtual adoption form. We will contact you as soon as possible by means of the contact e-mail you provide, if you have further questions.

PD has been fully sponsored by the wonderful people at Family Games Inc. Thank you so much - it's great to know that there are so many people who care!

PD is a beautiful Green-Winged Macaw who has just arrived at the refuge. PD's great tragedy is that while he was cared for by his human family, the family were afraid of such a large parrot and his enormous beak. So for ten years he sat in his big cage, alone and completely untouched. Can you imagine how isolated he felt - without sun, touch, or companionship? Wendy, our founder, has already won his trust and is able to scratch his head. Birds can't preen this part of their own body, so their new feathers - the pin feathers - can remain bound and itchy. Wendy has been able to preen most of the feathers on his head, and you can see in his picture how handsome he looks now!

He is surrounded by lots of activity in the Incoming Section and is starting to climb around and explore his environment. I'm sure it won't be long before he has made lots of wonderful friends for life!

Daisy is now fully sponsored, thanks to the generosity of Elizabeth McIntosh. Thank you!

Hello to you all! My name is Miss Daisy, but please call me Daisy.

I can't tell you how happy I am to be at the refuge. Before I got here I was so lonely. My human flock was out all day and I had no-one to talk to or return my calls for company. When they got home in the evening, my human flock was tired and weren't interested in talking to me. I thought it was better to be quiet, so I just sat in my cage and began chewing on my feathers. It gave me something to do and kept me busy. After a while, I didn't even notice I was doing it. When I got to the Refuge and saw many other birds with chewed feathers, I was surprised, and I was even more shocked to realize that my once lovely plumage was almost chewed away.

Here at the Refuge, I learned that it was not my fault. We aren't meant to be alone all the time. Well, that's not a problem anymore. In my new home in the Special Needs Unit, I'm never alone. I always have someone new to talk to, and people are always visiting and telling me how beautiful I'm looking. I've forgotten about chewing my feathers so much because I have so any other things to do, and birds and people to see and visit. I've even invented a bit of a dance to show off how my new feathers are growing back in. If you haven't seen Grant's video, have a look now!

If you want to Virtually Adopt Daisy and contribute to her care, you may do so in a few ways:

• Click on the "Donate Now" button below to make a secure one-time, annual or monthly credit card payment with CanadaHelps.org, the national non-profit organization that collects charitable donations on behalf of Canada's registered charities. This very safe method is our preferred choice as it reduces overheads and helps us focus our efforts on caring for the parrots.

  
• OR Visit our donations page to learn about other payment options for contributing to virtual adoption.
• OR Click on the button below to fill out a simple virtual adoption form. We will contact you as soon as possible by means of the contact e-mail you provide, if you have further questions.

Hey there! I'm Gigabyte. If you wonder about my name, I used to hang out with a bunch of computer geeks. The only trouble with computer geeks is they don't have time to look after a beautiful Blue and Gold Macaw like me. I got used to eating lots of junk food, which seemed good at the time, but it's not really a good thing if I want to live a long and healthy life. I didn't know any better then, so I used to get really excited at the sight of the pizza delivery guy.

Here at the Refuge, I've been getting a whole range of different foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of different nuts and seeds. I've also got lots of friends to hang out with, and a whole lot of different toys - which are much more colourful and exciting than a stack of compact discs, let me tell you! LOL!

The humans at the refuge pay me a lot more attention too, and make sure I have everything I could possibly need to be healthy. Sometimes when they work late though, I see them eating pizza, and I can't help but shout at them, "Is that REAL FOOD?"

TTYL, Gb.

(Translating Gigabyte's 'netspeak: LOL is "laughing out loud" and TTYL is "talk to you later".)

If you want to Virtually Adopt Gigabyte and contribute to her care, you may do so in a few ways:

• Click on the "Donate Now" button below to make a secure one-time, annual or monthly credit card payment with CanadaHelps.org, the national non-profit organization that collects charitable donations on behalf of Canada's registered charities. This very safe method is our preferred choice as it reduces overheads and helps us focus our efforts on caring for the parrots.

  
• OR Visit our donations page to learn about other payment options for contributing to virtual adoption.
• OR Click on the button below to fill out a simple virtual adoption form. We will contact you as soon as possible by means of the contact e-mail you provide, if you have further questions.

All of Moon's sponsorship needs have been met - with many thanks to Catherine Stansfield!

Moon is a Moluccan cockatoo, who was caught in the wild about 30 to 35 years ago. He has had a home for life at the Refuge for six years now. Moon is a gentle, sweet bird who enjoys spending time with all of his friends in the Special Needs Unit.

About 10 years ago, we heard about a breeder of Eclectus parrots who reportedly was not as caring as one would hope. During an investigative visit on the pretext of purchasing a baby Eclectus, Horst came upon a male in a 20” x 20” cage on the floor of the man's garage. The breeder readily furnished information that the bird was intended for breeding purposes, and would be used as soon as he had the right female available. The Eclectus had been waiting in this empty cage – with only seed and water – for almost 5 years. His only company was the family car. In an area of Canada where the summers are very hot and the winters, very cold, the concrete floor under the cage had caused much distress for this poor bird. After much discussion, we purchased him to relieve him from any further suffering.

Watching him scurry across the floor after anything that moved was a delight, knowing that he had sat in just one place for so many years. We named him Cruiser. He soon made friends with Java, a female Eclectus, and they spend all their days together. As a result of his earlier incarceration, Cruiser suffers from arthritis and cannot grip a perch very well. The greatest danger for Cruiser is that he could seriously damage himself with a fall onto the floor. We couldn’t put him into a cage again, however, as this would stress him terribly.

The solution was to build a specially raised floor in the large compound that Cruiser and Java occupy in the Judy Langille Wellness Centre. They have lots of room to scurry around, lots of perches running just above their special ground level, and a sliding glass window that leads to their own summer patio for those warmer days.

Cruiser has benefitted greatly from regular application of a non-scented arthritis ointment that does not change his skin temperature. Combined with regular bathing, a good diet and vitamins, his overall wellbeing has greatly improved and he no longer rips his feathers out.

Although Cruiser's mobility has been affected by the cruel conditions he was once kept in, by someone who saw him only as a money machine, he is surrounded by love and care, and his quality of life has much improved since his arrival at the refuge. It takes time to get close to him, but like any gentleman, Cruiser is a real charmer and very affectionate with his kisses.

If you want to Virtually Adopt Cruiser and contribute to his care, you may do so in a few ways:

• Click on the "Donate Now" button below to make a secure one-time, annual or monthly credit card payment with CanadaHelps.org, the national non-profit organization that collects charitable donations on behalf of Canada's registered charities. This very safe method is our preferred choice as it reduces overheads and helps us focus our efforts on caring for the parrots.

  
• OR Visit our donations page to learn about other payment options for contributing to virtual adoption.
• OR Click on the button below to fill out a simple virtual adoption form. We will contact you as soon as possible by means of the contact e-mail you provide, if you have further questions.

Baby Ru has been fully sponsored by Ingrid Pedersen - thank you so much!

Hi, my name is Baby Ru. There was a a time I went by the name Rudiger, which is the same name as a well-known soccer player I'm told. However, after I came to the Refuge, they realized that I was a girl, and I became Baby Ru. That doesn't mean I'm not as tough as any boy though!

I'm somewhat of a survivor. I have escaped from an eagle, not once, but twice! Both times I thought I was in big trouble, but my friend Wendy helped me out. The last time I was outside with Wendy going for a walk, when the eagle swooped down to get me and carry me away. But when Wendy yelled "Bite him, Ru!", I remembered how strong I could be, so I did bite him, and he let me go. I fell a long way to earth. The vet had to mend me as I had nine holes from where the eagle grabbed me, even more than the first time!

Wendy says that I'm a miracle, and I'm not quite sure what that is, but I am just so happy to be alive and to be free, and to snuggle up with anyone who wants to spend time with me. I think getting my own sponsor would be even better. Maybe someone could come out just to spend time with me, and let me sit on their shoulder. Bye, with love from Baby Ru.

Joey, the African Grey, upon arriving at the Refuge.

Joey is now fully sponsored - thank you so much, Christa!

Hello, my friends. My name's Joey. I live in the Special Needs Unit at the Refuge. As you can see, I've had a bit of trouble with malnutrition and depression. Although I'm sure my owners tried, they didn't understand how intelligent parrots are, and how we can get depressed like everyone else if we don't have lots of positive interaction and good food and freedom. When I started feeling sad, I started plucking my feathers. They're growing back now, because I'm no longer alone, and surrounded by lots of good friends. There are lots of other members in my Special Needs flock to talk to, so I'm never alone any more.

I am what they call a rescued parrot. The home I stayed in didn't care too much about me. Maybe they were busy. I'm told by my friends here that it happens all the time. People get parrots for pets, and at first they mean to care for us, but they don't understand how much time and care we need. My friends tell me it's not my fault that I had to get rescued and come here. I still get scared sometimes, but I'm starting to feel more happy and hopeful, now I'm here. I'm hoping to get better and grow back the rest of the feathers I lost. I have to do a lot of work on not hurting my tail feathers any more.

I know I'm not as handsome as some of my friends, but I would love to be able to have my own sponsor. I don't want to have to ever worry about not having this safe place to live in. Bye-bye for now. Love Joey.

Elvis, the Molluccan Cockatoo.

Elvis is now fully sponsored - with many thanks to Richard and Donna Mackey!

Hi, I'm Elvis! I hail from the island of Seram in Indonesia - although most folks call me a Moluccan cockatoo. A long time ago I was caught in the wild. What a sad day that was! One day I was flying free and the next I was trapped, sent on a terrible journey, and put in a cage - the first of many. My life wasn't easy. Each time I started getting used to my new flock I was sent to a new one. I didn't mean to be any trouble, but it seems that my new flocks didn't like the way I talked or sang or played.

In my last home, I got to eat lots of pasta and olive oil. Gosh, it tasted good, but I didn't realize how bad it was for me. When I got to the refuge the doc said I was a very sick bird. They didn't expect me to make it, but I did! The doc was great - she didn't give up on me. When my new friends told me that the refuge was a home for life, I was determined that I was going to get well. Even though I'm over sixty years old, I'd love to live for another twenty years or so.

Being old is a bit of trouble. Just like happens with some older people, I've gone blind from something the doc calls macular degeneration. I have to live in a cage, just to make sure I don't get injured. However, I don't need my sight to know that I'm a pretty good looking bird these days. I've got wonderful feathers, and my feet are no longer swollen and aching. I can hang on to my cage branches really good! My new friends give me cardboard boxes to chew up, and little stuffies to pull to pieces. Pretty good for an old guy, huh? Maybe you'd like to sponsor me and help me continue to have a wonderful life!

Teko, the Citron-Crested Cockatoo.

Teko is now fully sponsored - with many thanks to Heather Clarkson!

Hello! My name is Teko. It might be a little difficult for you to tell, but I am a Citron Crested cockatoo. When I was younger, I had the most beautiful white feathers that contrasted with my lovely orange crest. However, my human owner didn't understand what kind of food I needed and gave me all the wrong things in my diet. Apparently I got a fatted liver, which meant it wasn't working properly to cleanse my blood. In time, my lovely white feathers turned orange! I was so embarrassed when I arrived at the refuge because I didn't want anyone to see. But my new friends understood, and loved me just the way I am.

I love the food at the refuge! There's so much variety and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. As you can see from my recent picture here, my feathers are starting to turn white again. I love living here. Did you know that Citron cockatoos are critically endangered in the wild? I hope someone will want to sponsor me, so I can help to teach humans about how special Citron crested cockatoos are, and why we need to be protected!

Ben, the Blue and Gold Macaw, with his beloved Maggie.

Hello Everyone!

I just wanted to let you all know about how we are doing, and our hard work to raise funds to cover our daily care and medical costs here at the World Parrot Refuge.

We started our own snack bar at Postal Depot 4 in Langford! We managed to talk some great people (Marina and Bernie) into doing a lot of the physical stuff for us because people just don’t take parrots seriously. Really! Even though we had the cash ready to buy candy, pop and cookies, we could not convince anyone at the wholesalers that we meant business! It's a good job that some people see us as the smart and sensitive beings that we are, or our efforts would have got stuck in the “planning” stage!

Read more »

Andy, the Hyacinth Macaw.

Andy has been adopted by the wonderful people of Postal Depot 1 in Victoria! Thank you!

Andy is a beautiful and spirited Hyacinth Macaw, which have the distinction of being the world's largest macaw. Andy weighs 1.5 kilograms or 3.3 pounds. Estimates of the numbers of Hyacinth Macaws in the wild range from 2500 to 5000 birds, making them an endangered species.

Ben, the Blue and Gold Macaw, before making new friends.

Ben has found a companion Blue and Gold Macaw, Maggie, and both have been adopted by the wonderful people of Langford Postal Depot 4! You can read more about Ben and Maggie's story here. Thank you!

When he was captured in the wild, probably with the use of nets, poor Ben had both feet broken at the ankles. He was worth only a few dollars to the poachers, so broken feet did not matter. Somehow he survived the trip to the pet shop in California. Somehow his ankles healed – although in completely the wrong position. His feet stick out and he sits on the calloused ankle bones. He uses his beak and very powerful neck to enable himself to move. Unwanted, he was housed in a 20” square cage at the bottom of a stack of other parrots.

25 years ago he was purchased by a lady whose heart broke when she saw his situation. He was kept outside and provided with another macaw for a friend. His companion suffered an early demise so Ben, the broken blue and gold macaw, was brought to this sanctuary to ensure his comfort for the remainder of his life. He was a very sad bird when he arrived here.

Ben, the Blue and Gold Macaw.

We gave him the name Ben, and he showed pride right away. He now knows his name and interacts with several people and some birds. His feather quality has improved, indicating that his health has improved with his more varied diet and improved facilities.

Ben is a very "special needs" macaw who will remain in the Judy Langille Wellness Centre for the rest of his life. Our deepest wish is that he loses the look of fear in his eyes.

Ginny, the Catalina Macaw.

Ginny is a beautiful, spirited Catalina macaw, who embodies the many reasons why a place like the World Parrot Refuge should exist. More recently, Ginny's life was spent in a crack house, where she was kept in a dog crate in the garage. Likely there were many days when Ginny was not fed, nor offered a kind word. Who knows what she endured before that.

In her distress, Ginny had plucked all her body feathers out, and was severely malnourished and afraid. Now she is at the refuge, she is receiving lots of love, a good diet, the companionship of other parrots, and medical care.

To give you an idea of how far from ideal Ginny's living conditions were, we give you here a comparison of Ginny's condition (left) with another Catalina macaw - a healthy, well-loved long-term resident of the Refuge (right). As you can see, we have hopes for Ginny to blossom into her lovely plumage, and to grow in strength, confidence and joy.

Ginny on arrival at the Refuge.

A healthy Catalina Macaw, resident at the Refuge.

Please click on the "Donate Now" button below if you wish to contribute to Ginny's support. Every dollar helps, and is tax deductible.

Part of a family that loved her dearly, Goldie was the baby and was the centre of attention of the whole family for several years. They ate together and played together.

As the years passed, the mom of the family developed a cough that simply would not go away. In fact, it was becoming increasingly worse. She also developed pain in her joints and extreme muscle weakness and, worst of all, she could never draw enough air into her lungs. She was diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis or "Bird Keepers Lung", which is a serious lung allergy that cannot be reversed, but can be halted if the sufferer removes the allergen – in this case any and all feathers.

Goldie was moved to her own room in the basement. Suddenly deprived of all the loving attention she had always received from her ‘flock’, she became afraid and lonely. Goldie started to chew off her feathers and scream.

The mom became very saddened by the appearance of her cockatoo, especially as her health was deteriorating more since the bird was still in the house. The family decided to ask us for help. Goldie has been with us for over two years now. She still chews off her feathers but no longer screams since she gets the location response she wants from the other birds.

Unfortunately, Goldie cannot go into the general population as her wings are too badly chewed to allow her to fly. Goldie lives in the special needs unit and, as with people requiring special care, the costs are very high and Goldie does not have a sponsor.

There are many birds at the World Parrot Refuge who need a great deal of extra care. Volunteers who would be willing to share some of their time are very welcome here.

Please click on the "Donate Now" button below if you wish to contribute to Goldie's support. Every dollar helps, and is tax deductible.

Please note, CJ passed away on July 24, 2007. He enjoyed a full and happy life with his Refuge "flock" and will be missed by us all, especially by his companion, Scarletta.

Taken from the wild at least 30 years ago, CJ endured a life akin to those captured as slaves, in order to reproduce others of their own species - purely and simply for the financial gain of their owners.

After several years, someone finally noticed that CJ had a problem passing feces. with the extreme straining often presenting blood in the faeces. CJ was diagnosed with papillomas, a growth found in the intestines and often in the throat of the afflicted bird. Although this is believed to be a contagious disease, it appears that it is only transmitted by oral or vent contact. There have been many reports of pairs living together for decades where only one partner suffers from this problem. Likely the partner has an immunity to this virus.

CJ's last owner conceived the "idea" that food grade hydrogen peroxide, provided as the liquid of choice, would kill the virus and make CJ well again. Not surprisingly, it did not work. CJ became very thin and weak. Being kept outside in the cold winter, with only plastic sheeting to protect him from bitter, below-freezing temperatures did not help either.

The owner opted to give CJ to the refuge as he said he "liked him too much to kill him" – his words, not ours. He even provided a container of hydrogen peroxide for us to continue with his "medication". Needless to say, we did not use it.

We provide lots of love, freedom and good quality food for CJ. He has had many visits to the avian vet and is progressing well using the proper medications supplied.

CJ occupies his own large compound in the special needs unit. He sees and hears companion birds around him all day to ensure that he has real bird interaction and never feels isolated.

CJ has been with us for more than 4 years now and he is in a much healthier and happier condition than when he arrived. To date there is no cure for papillomas, although ongoing research in this field is positive.

It costs approximately $10 per week to keep a healthy bird here at the refuge. It costs a lot more to keep a bird who requires ongoing veterinary care. It would help us enormously to care for more birds like CJ if you could assist us financially with his costs. All donations are tax deductible.

Please click on the "Donate Now" button below if you wish to contribute to CJ's support. Every dollar helps, and is tax deductible.

In memory of Birdy, the Cherry-Headed Conure.

Please note, sadly, little Birdy passed away within months of these pictures being taken. He was well loved and will be missed by us all, especially by Special K.

This well-loved little conure arrived wearing the most well known fashion in parrot wear - total body pluck.

This little guy was caught in the wild and has been in this country for 16 years to our knowledge, but is probably over 20 years old.

His sunflower seed diet and total lack of natural light as well as loneliness, contributed greatly to his insistence to rip out his feathers as fast as they grew. Since arriving at the Refuge, he has become inseparable from a Mitred conure called Special K, who is blind. They both eat very well and have progressed to a well-rounded diet insofar as humans can provide in a country that does not grow the natural foods they are meant to eat.

Nine days ago we noticed that Birdy was sleeping more than normal. Her feces looked normal and she was eating as usual - but we felt there was something wrong. We put the two birds into the treatment room to observe his movements. Upon close examination we determined that his lower abdomen was slightly distended and tender. By the following morning, the swelling was noticeable, although Birdy continued to eat as normal. After lengthy discussions with the vet, we administered antibiotics and transported Birdy to the avian veterinary hospital. The vet suspected a cancerous mass, so a biopsy was performed on Birdy and sent to the lab. Birdy has Lymphosarcoma.

Birdy, and his best friend, Special K.

We do not believe in letting nature take its course if we can improve quality of life with modern medicine, so Birdy was started on a course of chemotherapy, with the first dose on Wednesday. Birdy was kept in an oxygen unit and tube-fed to save his energy. On Friday, Birdy received the second dose, and we kept our fingers crossed and the intensive care continued. On Saturday, Birdy was acting normal and was feeding himself and standing with his head in a normal position. He was taken off oxygen at this point. On Sunday, January 8 2006, Birdy had his final treatment of chemotherapy, and so far, so good. We hope to have Birdy back with us in our intensive care unit on Wednesday, January 11 2006. Special K is missing him so much and is very sad, even though we keep telling her that he is coming back - she is very lonely without him.

Whenever we take on the responsibility of a parrot at the World Parrot Refuge, we consider this a life commitment. If we can help a bird to stay alive with a good quality of life, we will always do whatever it takes. Most of these procedures are extremely expensive, especially for a charity. We need your help for Birdy and others like him.

Joey, the Greater Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo.

Please note, beautiful Joey passed away on May 11, 2007. She was loved by all and shall be missed.

When she was caught in the wild, approximately 40 years ago, Joey became a caged household bird. In those days, it was perfectly normal to keep a bird in a cage that you spoke to now and then, and treated like a piece of furniture that moved from home to home with you. In Joey's case, moving house included moving from country to country.

Joey was never allowed out of the cage, because her owner was afraid she would fly away and die. Joey didn't have toys - no one in their right mind gave toys to birds in those days - after all, she was just a bird. Joey's diet consisted of sunflower seeds, but the loving lady shared her daily toast and tea with Joey, so she would be happy.

Thirty years passed and Joey had a stroke. She lost the use of her legs, but was able to pull herself around the cage using her beak. Her wing muscles had atrophied long ago, so she could not use them to move herself. Needless to say, she had no body feathers.

Her elderly caregiver suddenly realized after the stroke that Joey could no longer fly away. She opened the cage and started to take Joey out on long walks in a baby carriage. Joey enjoyed the attention and the desperately needed natural light.

The years passed until finally her caregiver was too ill herself to look after Joey. The family thought it would be kinder to euthanize Joey since no-one had the time to dedicate to her, or allergies would be a big problem. The veterinarian telephoned us and asked if we would be prepared to provide the care that Joey needed. After a discussion with the family, it was decided that Joey would be transported here.

On her arrival, we checked Joey for abilities and possible problems. Poor Joey had apparently spent her time hanging from the bars of her cage to hold herself upright. The local vet had made sure that her beak was trimmed regularly as it was growing abnormally due to the manner in which she used it to hold her body weight. Her feet were totally crippled and the heels were badly infected from standing for periods of time in her own very acidic feces. Joey has a gastro-intestinal bacterial infection for which she is now receiving antibiotics. She also received vitamin shots, because her previous diet had not provided much.

In only 5 days, the difference in Joey is startling. A regular volunteer, who was a registered nurse before retiring, has dedicated several hours each day to massaging and exercising Joey's legs in warm water. Joey can now move both legs. The use of her right leg was apparent in only 2 days, but today she moved her left leg totally unaided, both in and out of water. She does not live in a cage but in a three foot square aquarium resting on a big stand. The bottom of the aquarium is covered in thick blankets and sheets and we built a perimeter of rolled towels to support her body. She can see everywhere. She has teddy bears as supports for the sides of her body so that she does not roll over, although she can now hold her right side up very well with the power of her right leg. She has discovered the joy of walnuts, and yesterday she ate cheese and grapes after much tempting. Joey is chatting away in English and her own special language, which I am sure you will be able to decipher as time goes by.

Needless to say, Joey's vet bills are already large and we know that this will continue as she is a very "special needs" bird. She is one of many already here and, goodness knows, of how many more to come.

Through virtual adoption, you can help a parrot who has known years of misunderstanding, neglect or abuse, or perhaps one who was well loved but could no longer be cared for by a previous owner due to life changes. We encourage you to share the joy of supporting a bird in need with your friends, co-workers, school or community group, or another Virtual Adoption sponsor. We will feature parrots here until his or her annual needs are supported by one or more sponsors.

Each sponsor that contributes $250 or more per year in financial support will receive a photograph and updates on the health and welfare of each sponsored parrot. Unless you prefer to remain an anonymous donor, your name or that of your group or company will be listed on the sponsor board at the Refuge and on the Virtual Adoption sponsor page on this website.

The cost of caring for a healthy bird at the Refuge is $500 per year. This ensures access to things we often take for granted - a varied and healthy diet, clean shelter, warmth, light, safety, and skilled medical care when needed. As you can appreciate, the cost of caring for one of our many special needs residents, who often have large medical expenses, is much more.

By virtually adopting a parrot, you help us to provide him or her with a happy, healthy "Home for Life". We understand there's only so much people can give. Every contribution - no matter how small - helps, and is tax deductible. Regular contributions help with ongoing costs. By clicking on the "Donate Now" button on the top right corner of any page, you can set up a one-time or regular donation using the secure website of CanadaHelps.org, or choose other donation options. Thank you.