Budgies, cockatiels and conures find love at an exotic bird sanctuary

 

When Koko poops on the floor, Jenny Tamas takes it in stride. Koko is a large, green and yellow macaw who she coaxes onto her arm with a pecan. Koko shares a room with Cassie, a vibrant red Soloman’s Island Eclectus. In the dining room Budrick, a male Alexandrine mutters, “Hellooo, whatcha doing?” from his cage while in the kitchen another bird claims it’s “time for a beer.”

 

Upstairs, the two guest rooms are temporary homes to more birds, from a blind yellow canary to a hormonal lovebird who will bite anyone who touches her—so she scuttles around the room in a hamster ball when it’s time for Tamas to clean her cage.

 

Caring for all these birds is a responsibility Tamas took on when Surrey’s Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary lost its permanent location in March 2007. Since becoming Greyhaven’s adoption director four years ago, the Tsawwassen resident adopted a few birds for herself, including Koko and Cassie.

 

But all the other birds needed homes of their own.

 

 

When they love you

 

In the kitchen, Tamas motions to an open can of Red Bull on the countertop: “You’re pretty much going all the time,” she says of her volunteer job. When one bird starts to squawk and sets the other off, she laughs, “It’s like living in Costa Rica some days, minus the sand and the sun.” Yet she loves each and every one, and can come close to tears of joy when a particular bird is matched with a new owner.

 

There’s a strict adoption process at Greyhaven. Potential adopters visit one of the foster homes, then they are visited at their own home to see where the bird would live. Tamas also educates people on the long-term commitment it takes to own an exotic bird. Macaws like Koko, for instance, will live to be 75 to 100 years old and on average go through seven owners in their lifetime. Even budgies, the bird Tamas most often adopts out, can live to about 18 years old. “They’re living little souls. People really have to do research.”

 

In many cases, exotic birds come to Greyhaven because the owners passed away or are in poor health. Budrick was taken to Greyhaven when his owner developed Alzheimer’s. Other birds are brought in because young owners—children—become bored with them, families move, or people didn’t realize the work that goes into caring for a bird.

 

Tamas can tell when a bird has been neglected or is emotionally distressed. Sophie, a Lesser Sulphur Crest Cockatoo, has patches on her stomach from feather picking, and a teeny lovebird upstairs has plucked its tail clear off.

 

Others who come in are sick. Veterinarian bills, at around $10,000 a year, are the most significant cost of running Greyhaven, which is funded by donations. “An African Grey came to us that has cancer. And it can be cured. We don’t believe in euthanizing,” says Tamas. “It costs us a lot to do it, but that’s what a rescue does.”

Greyhaven won’t adopt out a bird unless it’s healthy and happy. In 2007, the facility adopted out 172 birds—and took in 178.

 

“We have to survive. One hundred and seventy-eight birds came in—that shows you there’s a need.”

There are other birds waiting to come into the program, which they will take in as others are adopted out. Greyhaven could house more if they had a new facility; at the same time, without one it has become more challenging to keep up their profile.

 

“People don’t know we’re still out there. We’re still actively taking care of birds. We’re still actively adopting. We’re still in need of donations. We’re still actively looking for a facility,” says Tamas.

 

For 10 years, Greyhaven’s home was a 450-square-foot greenhouse space in North Delta donated by a company, but the sanctuary had to move out when the owners decided to use the area for another purpose. “We made it work. That was our little space,” says Robin Fiorese, Greyhaven’s communications director. She says they’d really like about 800-square-feet or more so they could add an educational room for school groups.

 

Greyhaven is run entirely by volunteers like Tamas and Fiorese, but most are not active because there’s no facility to attend to. However, they have kept up their outreach programs. Tamas often brings Koko to teach children about exotic birds and how to care for them, or to seniors centre's for presentations as part of Greyhaven’s pet therapy program.

 

With Koko perched on her arm in the living room, Tamas kisses the bird’s beak and rubs her neck. The macaw needs a huge cage that takes up a quarter of the spare room downstairs. Colourful plastic rings hang from the cage ceiling, as well as baskets for her to chew on.  They want to have toys, they want to play,” Tamas explains.

“They’re so intelligent, they really are. And they’re affectionate. And when they love you it’s amazing.”

 

 

Finding homes

 

There’s a click-click-click sound on the laminate wood floor beneath Tamas’s feet. Mickey, her rich green Solomon’s Island Eclectus, is following her through the kitchen on foot. “He’s like a dog,” she says with a laugh.

This past week has been a busy one for Tamas as adoptions director. She had adoption appointments all week, and found homes for three budgies and a parakeet.

 

Greyhaven is given a lot of budgies, cockateils and lovebirds, the “disposable” birds because they cost very little at the pet shop.

 

The sanctuary does charge an adoption fee, which depends on the type of bird, to raise money for the society and to ensure those who adopt have a sense of commitment to the bird and really want to make it a part of their life.

 

“The ultimate goal is to have these guys be in a place they know they’re loved . . . We’re all filled with hope that all of these birds are going to be safe and in a loved home,” she says.

 

Even the biter in the hamster ball.

 

To learn more about the bird rescue sanctuary—or to donate, adopt or let Greyhaven know of a potential facility—visit www.greyhaven.bc.ca or call 604-878-7212.

 

kthiessen@southdeltaleader.com