Muse

They are so funny. Alex says a few words but my husband says I am the only one who can understand him with his funny little sun conure accent, lol.

I know a few Grey calls, probably don't have the 'accent' correct... and am rapidly learning some Amazon.

Emphasis mine... worst visual ever from reading that.... ROFL.

LOLOL Loved this!!!!

Good ideas. I would personally go with screen, that way bugs can't come in the window when it's propped open. That is how we plan to screen in our front porch, dividing into two 'rooms' and one 'safety cage' in the center that protects not only the 'rooms' but the front door as well. I was going to do two layers of wire cloth and then realized without screens, any bugs that get in the 'rooms' would be right in the house if we prop the windows up for them to go in and out.

Thanks so much for sharing your stories. They will be used both in print and on our website, so just let me know how you'd like me to attribute them.

-emphasis mine I think they know. We had a feral cat the neighbors had been trying to shoot. We trapped her and brought her inside. She was a full-grown adult feral, and I suspect from her extreme fear of humans probably not a first generation feral either. She HATED doors. If someone opened one, she made a mad dash for her 'safe spot' under our bed (and up into the box springs).

Dave- how would you like me to attribute these? They will be featured in printed material as well as on our website under "resources" (yet to be developed). Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge.

Thanks for your reply, Nancy. I actually have three that were parent-fed and fledged naturally from the nest at their own pace. I recently took four birds to the vet. Three were hand-fed, clipped (one before he ever learned to fly). Out of all four, Noah, the co-parented and always flighted was *the* best behaved. Peck also is flighted and as far as I know was never clipped in his former home but he is truly a "remote control" bird. He has a T-perch atop the fridge. Yesterday when making breakfast, he flew off the stand to the top of the fridge, but not the perch. Yet it only took words to get him to leave the shiny on the fridge alone. He sat there and aside from dropping a bomb down the front of the fridge, was a perfect gentleman. Megan gets up there and destroys everything her beak can reach. I refuse to move things because I feel they need to learn THEIR boundaries. I didn't "put stuff out of reach" (unless it was dangerous) for the girls, I surely won't for a bird, lol. I think there is a difference between a trim and a clip also. I have heard the statistics from many, but in my limited personal experience, I have seen several birds (flighted) survive and eventually be found. Not so sure that would work out for a clipped bird that can't escape the many predators. Thank you again for your input! Sophie sounds like she's outgrown the "brat" stage! Maybe someday Megan will, but I am not holding my breath.

After the recent thread on "Lesson Learned", as part of our educational program, I would love to compile stories of bird escapes by both clipped and flighted birds, including whether they were retrieved or not, especially ones regarding clipped birds and their ability to fly when startled. My goal is to promote awareness of a birds right and need to remain flighted, and the article will finish with ways to maintain safety with a flighted flock. We have 49 flighted birds at this time. We've been really lucky but I have to say the two close calls (both Marden) were not with flighted but with clipped bird. His initial clip did not prevent flight as he was maintaining height, and even flying around corners into different rooms as well as even flying from the floor up to stands and play tops. So we took him back and they clipped one extra feather and took about another half to an inch off the already clipped flights. This slowed him down, but did not stop him from flying. (This was right after we got them and like most new bird owners, we were going on the advice of the store that they "needed" to be clipped for safety.) Despite having clipped wings he proved to me he could fly if he wanted to. We were outside sitting in a chair (no harness) and he was in my lap. I don't think he was even startled. He just wanted to fly. He took off and flew clear across the yard, which was a good sized lot, and landed on the top of the privacy fence bordering the neighbor's yard. That was the last time he went out without a leash with me. He landed on the fence when I screamed his name and allowed me to walk over and pick him up, but I know it was probably an hour before my heart stopped pounding in my chest. The second time was when my husband decided he knew better than me, and wanted to take them outside on his shoulder while we were having a garage sale. It was extremely hot and we had one of those mister things that looks like a coil of hose that stands upright with the mister on the end so you can bend the 'coil' to point it where you want it. He walked too close to this and Mar evidently was not in the mood to be misted. I was walking back up the driveway when he flew over my head, going for the huge live oak in the front yard. I still to this day cannot explain how my fat, vertically challenged self managed this, but I launched upward and caught his feet. He was definitely on an upward trajectory. So I *know* for a fact that clipping does not "prevent" them from flying when they really want or feel they need to. Does anyone else have similar stories they would be willing to have published in our educational literature? It would be provided free of charge during presentations at schools, pet fairs, Boy and Girl Scout meetings, etc. Please let me know. I can post the article here for approval before it "goes live" and will attribute you in any manner you wish (often a first name last initial is used but you can use a forum name or anonymous as well.) If anyone wants to contribute other articles on ANY helpful subject pertaining to companion birds I would be extremely grateful. I started several articles but with so many birds to care for, my writing time is very limited. I already have three up coming opportunities to present materials (as well as speak) at events so the material will be put to good use and I will be more than happy to give credit to the authors in any way they prefer.

An excellent point. And clipped wings don't matter. Marden was clipped when he flew clear across a large backyard to land on a six foot high privacy fence. He'd started out in my lap - only a couple feet off the ground. A startled bird can have beyond-normal strength that can overcome the lack of surface area due to missing flights. I am glad it ended well. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with others to help prevent this from happening to someone else!

I wrote this on Marden's Ark timeline on Facebook the other day, mainly to encourage a fellow rescuer who was overwhelmed and showing signs of burnout. I got a few compliments on it so I thought I'd share it here: Tears of a Rescuer When your tender heart leads you down this road of suffering and heartbreak, it is kindness and love that pushes you onward. As you move forward and experience the moments of sadness, sickness and even cruelty and malice, it is a righteous spirit of resolve and determination that spurs you to action. As you get to the point where you realize you are standing at the base of a giant mountain of suffering, neglect, abuse and careless disregard, it is fear that tries to take hold. The shadow of the mountain is dark and you feel overwhelmed. That is often when the tears come forth. But remember that as tiny drops of rain can, in time and together with many other drops, wash that mountain into the sea, so shall your tears erode the mountain before you. For as you cry, the tender heart finds its inner strength. Remember that you are not alone, and others share your passion. Remember that the strength lies in numbers and in the power of our love that shines across the bleak milleau like the light of a thousand suns. Maybe we can't win every single battle. Maybe we have to sometimes take a step backwards. But when we focus on the sweet moments of victory - the lives saved and the pain erased - we know we can go on to do this yet another day with renewed strength and hope that somehow our efforts WILL make a difference in this world. I'm no superhero. I can't save the world. But I surely can make the little part of it that surrounds me that much better for my having been there.

I pray you will get your 'break-through' moment. It will come with Miss Gilbert. I believe that. Your love and patience will win and who knows what will happen once she gets that 'aha, they aren't going to hurt me! I can TRUST them!' moment? She may become the biggest cuddler ever.

Great points. One friend who seems to have followed the whole thing rather closely commented that both of them (the lady from APR and "Cheri", the adopter) were both acting mentally ill and advised me to steer clear of associating with APR. I didn't follow that closely, so I guess I missed a lot of the drama. That's not a bad thing, really. I am not saying we will *never* adopt out a bird. There will be exceptions. But I have a feeling they will be rare. I have already had three people contact me about fostering or adopting and all three made me very uneasy. I asked one about smoking in the home and Teflon and she responded "no one smokes" and ignored the Teflon question. Automatic disqualification. Another friended me then a bunch of drama hit my news feed. I am going to be EXTREMELY picky because I want to help the birds, not toss them back into a life of abuse. It's very, very difficult to spend the time and energy to screen potential adopters. I don't know how I would even do it at this point.

I got in touch with Regis's new mommy and she said it was fine to share pictures. She said she'd love for him to be a success story that inspires others. The other pictures of that horrid round cage were his old life. Now, here is his NEW life: Regis in the aviary Regis with his new big brother, Kaiser the Hyacinth - Kaiser has taken new birds under his wing when they have come into the family. The aviary (note the shower in the corner). I am sure Regis must think he's in heaven. Another view. Waterfall in this corner and look at all the play stands!!! Regis and Kaiser Seeing him happy and enjoying having a flock and freedom just chokes me up. But the tears are tears of joy. This is the kind of home we wish for every bird. -- Oh, and she thinks he may be a she because of behaviors ... DNA sexing testing is pending.

She does have a nice voice but what Megan seems to like is the marching-type music in between the vocals. Really gets her going, lol.

We are going with a bark-type mulch which is what Matt uses at Project Perry. He put down red wiggler worms, which live under the mulch and turns the mulch, I believe he said weekly, and the worms keep it very clean. You could always put two layers of wire cloth on the top, one over the supports and one under. If you get the wire mesh fine enough, a hawk can't reach through and if you have two layers, toes (and thus legs) won't be close to the outside for potential grabbing. I would recommend a safety cage.

Here is a version that Megan just LOVES from YouTube: Peck prefers mama singing it very softly but both will start head bobbing to this version.

Megan does several bird calls. She will do (my poor imitation) of a grackle, a chicken, a rooster, a crow and a dove. She loves the dove the best and if someone else does it, will respond with "That's a dove!" LOL She will say to herself "How's a grackle go? *makes call* That's a grackle." And so on. She also does random red-tailed hawk calls that Peck taught her but they just come out of the blue.

Great thinking! I have made lots of progress with Peck, singing him a lullaby each night. I sing him "Teddy Bears Picnic" and he sings along in a soft little voice. I think they really respond to music. After all, they communicate a lot in song themselves.

The Greybies were our first birds but next came Aunalese and Conner, the green-cheeked conures. Auna was then and still is terrified of hands. After three years of love, patience and positive reinforcement she is no closer to stepping up on my hand and probably won't ever be. It doesn't matter. Whatever fears haunt her, whatever trauma she went through, it is long past. I will give her love, and a safe place to call home as long as I am alive and able. Then comes Jack. I still feel a stab of guilt every time I look at him for my unfounded fear of his lunging. I was just certain he was trying to bite me. When in truth, he was just trying to feel his way in the darkness of his mostly blind sight. He now spends much of his time riding on my shoulder, pooping down my back. And I don't care. He can poop all over me. I just love this little bird. It's hard to believe he is so incredibly sweet and so trusting after the pain and abuse he has suffered. His favorite phrase is "Gimme kiss" followed by the most gentle nudge to my cheek. Here is a moment of his sweetness:

So, I guess after much back and forth arguing and Facebook drama, Mealy was returned to All Parrot Rescue. I had a couple of friends whom I'd shared the link with tell me they thought both parties were acting childish. The adopter even made a veiled threat on her Facebook page saying something about "If you love something set it free. I heard she can fly" leading people to believe she might turn the parrot out of doors instead of giving her back. I am still thinking that we don't want to go down the adoption road. For me to adopt a bird to someone, they would probably feel like they were going through the Inquisition.

Unfortunately we found we have to be listed in the Exempt Organization Select Check database, which we are not yet. I called the IRS and they said it can take up to 60 days to get added, and she said the next update is the 2nd Monday in Sept. I will be ALL over getting signed up as soon as I see our EIN come up in the search. We have found that many places will not just 'take your word' that you are a 501©(3) because frankly a lot of these barely or not at all legit 'rescues' lie about it. Amazon does indeed verify the 501©(3) status, and since we aren't listed we can't get signed up until we are. Thanks for letting me know about this! I will be sure to let everyone know when we get signed up.

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. I feel this was one of those things that were meant to be and feel honored to have been able to take part, even a small part, in it. His vet check wasn't perfect, but it was very good considering the conditions (the ex-owner was formerly a smoker, no idea how long the birds were exposed to the smoke). We have some really big plans but need to pace ourselves. Actually our budget is going to pace us. We have money set aside for a generator (NEEDED here in the winter as we get frequent power outages). Our next projects are getting the "littles" a big walk-in flight cage/aviary (indoors) and screening in the porch so they can go outside. I also want to start building a walipini so we can have fresh produce year round. So much to do, but all so very rewarding, especially knowing there are now 40 lives that depend on me and that are better off for the work I do for them. When I look at Rasa, who might have been euthanized, and the budgies, who had a very uncertain future when no one wanted to take them, I know it is all worth it. I feel bad because we are full. I will hate having to say "no" but we simply have no more room. Time to start growing....

What a truly amazing girl you have there!