Jorge Reyes Loaiza from Free Flight bird sanctuary holds "Mandy", an Alexandrine parrot
Red, a 20 year-old green tailed macaw, was often dancing during the presentation (see the video at our Facebook page)
Klaus Gubernator (holding Mandy) talks with Jorge while (l-r) Bird, Timmy, and Jesse look on
Jesse the Triton cockatoo gets a bit of bit of attention from Suzy
Five feathered guests at our October 19, 2017 meeting provided a splash of color and some of their own commentary to our usual meeting business. Bird (Blue Fronted Amazon parrot), Jesse (Triton Cockatoo), Mandy (Alexandrine parakeet), Red (Green-winged macaw) and Timmy (Ecletus parrot) are all residents of Free Flight sanctuary, which is located just a few minutes away from St. Peter’s.
The sanctuary was founded in 1981 by the late Dr. Robert Stonebreaker, who recognized the need for a facility that could provide shelter for exotic birds in need of a home. Avian Care and Visitor Liaison Jorge Reyes Loaiza explained that these birds can live as long as 80 years and thus often out-live their owners. In addition, exotic birds often bond to just one person, and the addition of new household members, be it a new partner or a new baby, can result in the need to re-home a bird.
Free Flight currently houses 51 birds (49 parrots, one yellow canary, and one African crowned crane) who arrived at the shelter either because their owners could no longer care for them or had passed away, or the bird was no longer adjusted to its home. Among the residents, 20 are up for adoption, which requires visitations in advance of bringing the bird home to ensure that the bird is bonding with its new owner. For those who love birds but are unable to adopt, Free Flight has bird sponsorship programs. The sanctuary also provides boarding facilities for bird owners who are on vacation or otherwise temporarily unable to care for their birds.
Free Flight has a variety of ways to get involved. Their Junior Docent program is a week-long training program for teenagers aged 13-17 who want to become docents at the sanctuary. Parrot Camp is for younger kids, grades 3-6, and provides education about parrots. The Senior Docent program trains those 55 and older who want to volunteer as docents. Free Flight is also developing a program to involve veterans in caring for the birds. The Sanctuary is conducting a capital campaign to raise funds to replace the 25-30 year-old cages with new stainless steel cages that will be easier to clean and are larger and more mobile, as well as rust-resistant.
The Sanctuary welcomes visitors daily from 11-4 (on Wednesdays 11-2). They charge a small admission fee and food can be purchased to feed the birds and koi.