 The Sanctum Houses Over 400 Birds
|
Sept. 3, 2003 — The National Parrot Sanctuary, the first registered parrot rescue center in England, has opened its doors to the general public after receiving an official zoo license from Britain's Secretary of State.
The sanctuary is home to over 400 parrots representing 43 different species. Most of the birds are former pets that have been turned over to the sanctuary by their owners.
In many cases, sanctuary founder Steve Nichols said, the owners are not really prepared to care for parrots and find them too much to handle.
|
 
 |
|||||||
Many of the parrots have been imported, since England is one of the few countries that still allow the importation of exotic birds.
An estimated 50 percent of the birds die during the importation process and many more die within the first year of captivity. The survivors are often not good pets, becoming more difficult to manage as they get older.
Nichols spent 15 years studying parrots before establishing a round-the-clock advisory service for parrot owners. Known as Parrot Line, the service helps match parrots needing homes with prospective owners as well as helping to reduce the suffering of these birds.
Nichols hopes that the new sanctuary will assure that every unwanted parrot receives care and that new owners are educated to try and prevent problems in the future.
He has opened the sanctuary to paying customers to help raise money to cover the cost of operating the sanctuary, which he believes may be home to 1,000 birds within two years.
< news main
Name: African Gray Parrot (Psittacus erithacus)
Primary Classification: Psittaciformes (Parrots) Location: Western to central Africa. Habitat: Lowland and montane rainforest, as well as plantations, farmland and gardens. Diet: Seeds, berries, nuts and fruit. Size: Up to 16 inches in length and 14 oz in weight. Description: Gray plumage. Dark gray, curved beak. White patches around yellow eyes. Stocky body. Gray claws. Short tail with bright red feathers. Cool Facts: They communicate with one another in flight visually by displaying their bright red tails. They may be the best "talkers" of all the birds, able to learn hundreds of words and sounds. They use their hooked beak as a third foot when climbing. Conservation Status: Common |
||
