WHAT WE DO

We shelter birds who can no longer stay where they've been, for whatever reasons..

We work with troubled or hurt birds to make them able to live a happier life.

We place birds in adoptive homes where they can stay for the rest of their lives.

We provide bird friends to birds who have no friends.

We educate the public about parrots as animals and as companions.

We assist and advise new rescuers.

WHAT WE DON'T

We don't buy birds.

We don't sell birds

We don't sell cages or food

We don't broker birds for other people.

We don't ship birds to remote adopters.

We don't breed birds.

We don't charge a fee to accept birds, or to place them for adoption

The Philosophy at Iowa Parrot Rescue is simple: the birds come first, second, and last.  We are dedicated to providing the best care we possibly can in the greatest amount of freedom.

When a bird arrives at the rescue it moves into quarantine where it waits for a trip to the vet and a physical evaluation. Quarantine time is an opportunity for the bird to adjust to new surroundings while feeling protected. In the meantime, a variety of people watch and interact with the new arrival to get a sense of that birds personality and needs. Once the health evlauation is complete, birds are started on meds or therapies according to their needs. Changes in diet are made slowly and the birds are introduced to their new neighbors.

Each bird is treated as an individual with particular needs and desires.  Our job is to figure out what those are and build those into the bird's future. Almost all of our birds arrive with some form of damage: poor diet, lack of stimulation or space to move, long term injuries or illness, neglect or outright cruelty. Some birds adapt and bloom very quickly, some take years to build trust and find themselves. Some birds have never seen another bird and only respond to people. Some birds are aggressive and need to be only birds. Some like a flock around them. Some birds form bird friendships, which we encourage and will never break or interfere with that bond. Some birds will stay here for their natural life.

A parrot adopted from Iowa Parrot Rescue never really leaves the rescue entirely.  People's lives and circumstances change. So do the bird's...a loving juvenile bird can turn into a raging hormonal dinosuar that desperately want to leave the nest and make a new home. Changes in the home can lead to stress, aggression or fear. Any bird that is no longer able to stay in the adopters home must come back to the rescue.  As a rescue we are an ongoing source of support and information for those who adopt.

Our goal is that every bird that comes here will go to a situation better than it has at the rescue. To that end some birds stay here for years waiting for the right person to walk in the door.  Ever potential adopter goes through several interviews and visits, plus a home visit before an adoption is approved.  Families visit the birds and spend time learning which bird will fit best in their home.  But in the end, the bird chooses the person.

IOWA PARROT RESCUE