When Teemu arrived from his loving home he was showing the effects of unspecified environmental toxins. Parrots have an extremely efficient respiratory system and are susceptible to tiny amounts of chemicals in the air that would not bother humans. For example, many pet birds have been killed by the fumes from over-heated teflon cookware accidentally left on the stove too long.

In Teemu's case new flooring added to his home began affecting him severely. His owners regretfully had to find a new home for him and that's how he came to live at the World Parrot Refuge. As you can see from these photos, he is rapidly recovering. Wendy calls him, "A delightful bird."

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!

"This is, in a word, a great place and these miraculous creatures deserve no less, but few places can deliver it this well. It is, indeed, 'world class'."

– Stewart Metz (author and Director of the Indonesian Parrot Project), after his visit at the Grand Opening of the Refuge on August 13, 2005.

"The World Parrot Refuge is a true sanctuary where parrots live out their lives in a loving, spacious and happy environment under the guidance of extraordinarily caring people. The many visitors destined to pass through the refuge will come to understand that parrots are not toys or trophies, but beings with needs and emotions as real as our own."

– Rosemary Low (author of more than 30 books on parrots)