Bird Man of Louisa

The Free Lance-Star ^ | 14 Jan 07 | CATHY DYSON

[leadpenny]

The Central Virginia Parrot Sanctuary in Louisa County offers homes for birds that don't have them.

By CATHY DYSON

Matt Smith moved to Louisa County a year ago to build a shelter for birds that had been abandoned by their owners.

He started with six and now has 10 times that many.

Word about the Central Virginia Parrot Sanctuary has spread quickly in the bird world. People from up and down the East Coast have driven hours to bring Smith the conures and cockatiels, Amazons and African gray parrots they can no longer care for.

And, Smith, a 29-year-old who shares his home with feathered friends of all sizes and colors, tries to find the best solution for each.

Those that aren't suitable for adoption because they simply don't like people get a home in his indoor sanctuary. They perch in the canopy--a collection of branches hanging from cathedral ceilings--and flitter from one end of the room to another.

Those that might make good companions stay in the living area of Smith's sparsely decorated house. These birds also sit on branches suspended from the ceiling or on stand-alone perches.

None are caged.

Soon after he got his first parrot, Smith decided it wasn't fair to take away flight from a creature with wings.

"If you have them in a cage, just open the door," he said. "If they know they can get out, it makes such a difference."

'They're wild animals'

Smith lived in Spotsylvania County in the 1990s, then graduated from Old Dominion University with degrees in criminal justice and psychology. Then he learned about himself, deciding humans were for the birds.

"I wanted nothing to do with people," he said.

He spent two years with parrots of all sizes at a sanctuary near Boston. He learned their habits and traits, that many birds tend to favor one gender to the point of biting and attacking the other. He learned about their life span--which is up to 85 years--and that birds have become the third-most popular pets, after cats and dogs.

He also discovered that birds get pretty "screwed up" in captivity. He saw "pluckers" such as Xanadu, the Catalina macaw he keeps in his bedroom. Birds in the wild never pluck themselves, but some in captivity will pick out every feather within reach.

He saw birds being "surrendered" by their owners because they acted aggressively toward the gender they didn't favor or were noisy.

"It's not bad behavior, it's just them being birds," Smith said. "They're wild animals. They're not domesticated like dogs and cats by any means."

Smith decided to come back to Virginia when his family purchased 55 acres of land. He bought 15 acres for the sanctuary, about five miles from Louisa, and had a two-story home built with birds in mind.

Bird Man of Louisa page 2

_______________________

Helping birds

Matt Smith founded the Central Virginia Parrot Sanctuary in Louisa County last February. He takes in birds that people can't care for and puts them in his sanctuary or tries to find good homes for them.

Some key information:

Adoptions last year: six

Currently available for adoption: five birds--two conures, two yellow-crowned Amazon parrots and one macaw

Average cost for care: about $2 a day for small birds, such as parakeets, about $3 a day for larger ones

How can people help? Smith needs volunteers to care for and spend time with the birds, as well as donations and sponsorships. People can do "virtual adoptions" and donate money to cover the annual cost of birds housed at the sanctuary.

More information: projectperry.com Perry was the first parrot Smith owned.

[MarkL]

A surprising number of people don't realize that buying a parrot or other large bird, is a lifetime commitment, sometimes extending beyong the owner's lifetime. They're also surprised that these birds are social animals, but tend to really bond with just one person, though they'll "tolerate" others in the "flock" (family). And, as the article mentions, birds CAN distinguish between the genders of humans, and will sometimes act jealously against those of the opposite gender of the human with whom they've bonded. When I was growing up, my father had a parrot, and every day when his wife would change out the bird's water and food, the bird would be sitting on the top of the cage, and try to attack her, trying to bite her head. At first we thought it was funny, that the bird was just "playing," until the bird actually bit her and drew blood.

Mark

[leadpenny]

Since I was a kid I've always had a dog or two, mutts mostly, and can't imagine what it would be like not having a pet. At times I've had the urge to get a pet bird but have always decided against it. This article makes me want to drive down to Louisa to meet Matt and his flock.

[battlegearboat]

I always leave the door open for my Old Crow and Wild Turkey.

[Larry Lucido]

I always leave the door open for my Old Crow and Wild Turkey.

Just make sure that you invite any Baptists over in groups of two or more.

[Louis Foxwell]

A wonderful bird sanctuary is maintained here in southwest Florida by FaunaLink. Phyllis Martin,CEO, cares for about 600 parrots of all types in an open air setting. All are birds that were abandoned. Some are extremely rare. Adoptions, volunteers and financial support are always needed. Ask for more details.

[rightazrain]

Yes, Mark, a parrot is a very long time commitment. I have a 15 year old Timneh African Grey since he was about 7 weeks old. I did A LOT of research before I made the decision, and educated myself on bird behavior and training.

It has paid off.

Anyone who has an uncontrollable parrot can turn that bird around with knowledge. I'd recommend googling Sally Blanchard. She is an expert on correcting bad behavior in parrots, and has written extensively on the subject.

Do NOT get a parrot unless you are very informed and dedicated! Don't be fooled by the cuddly parrots in the pet stores. All parrots are non-aggressive when they're young. Once puberty sets in, you are in for a surprise unless you're knowledgeable about what's going on.

[moondoggie]

We have a 33 year old Amazon parrot that we adopted as a baby.

He'll probably outlive us!

[decimon]

Birds in the wild never pluck themselves...

Can't agree with that part. You see it better with large birds. Swans can leave quite a few feathers behind where they groom themselves. Mute Swans seem to have a thinner summer plumage and a thicker winter plumage.

[rightazrain]

Yeah, I have two grown sons. My fav joke is to say, "You better be nice to me, or I'll leave you Caesar in my will."

BTW, I live in Louisa, and had not known about this guy.

One thing I learned early on is that if you are the owner of a parrot, be very careful about handling other parrots outside the home. If you do, wash your hands very well. They could have a disease you could bring home to your bird, and some of them emit in their dander. Caesar has not had so much as a sniffle in 15 years, so I must be doing something right.

[cinives]

There are many wonderful birds who'd love a good home with someone who is interested in letting them be birds and companions.

I have 5 birds - 3 are rescue birds - a blue and gold macaw, a Congo African Grey, a cockatiel, an orange-wing Amazon, and a little Pacific parrotlet. They all have interesting personalities and are curious about the humans living in their flock. Some are friendlier than others, some are bold and some are timid, but they all want interaction.

Birds take work to become real companions, and they sure are a mess to clean up after, but I can't imagine living without them. Even my dogs enjoy watching the birds - and the talking birds enjoy mocking and talking about the dogs. It's a hoot to listen in.

My birds will have a good home with my daughter if they outlive me.

I urge anyone to support the good works of these bird sanctuaries.

[leadpenny]

I understand the Mute Swan is invasive (if that's the right word) and push out other water fowl like the Sand Hill Crane.

[cinives]

That's probably not plucking, that's usually the consequence of normal preening and molting. Most birds lose and regrow their feathers several times a year - they wear out - just like humans do with hair.

It's usually only plucking if you see multiple feathers with the quill end bitten off.

[moondoggie]

LOL about your grown sons! Same for us.... and ours have already warned us we better not give them Mario in our will! LOLOL

Good advice about handling other parrots, too. But, I think our parrot is too onery to get sick.

He loves women and children. Hates the male dogs and cats, but loves my female cat.

Who says parrots are dumb???

[spacejunkie]

Good story. Thanks for sharing. I always love to read about people that make that giant leap into really helping the helpless.

It's my opinion that we need to change the laws in this country as it pertains to trading in wildlife. Turtles, lizards, birds, wild cats, etc (I could go on and on). They almost ALL end up in hands that just don't know how to care for them properly or lose interest quickly.

It's sad.

My donation spot (besides church and wounded warrior) is pit bull rescue in S. Florida. A GREAT breed that is very misunderstood and maltreated.

[decimon]

I understand the Mute Swan is invasive...

It is. I understand they are a current problem in Maryland and it looks like they are becoming so here in New York.

Back in my youth, the few swans we would see in NY were summer migrants. These mute swans are year-round and obviously expanding their numbers and range. They're attractive but I guess we'll have to start eating them to keep their numbers in check. Hope they taste like turkey. :-)

[spacejunkie]

you are one of the exceptions and I'm really grateful for people like you who take the time and make the commitment to do things right as it pertains to your pets.

[decimon]

I guess preening would be correct. I've gotten close to a family of Mute Swans because they were used to me and because I would toss them some bread as the cob would begin his aggressive move towards me. With bread I am tolerable. :-)

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Animal Planet League ought to give this guy a show just like Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

PROJECT PERRY INC. - THE CENTRAL VIRGINIA PARROT SANCTUARY

Helping birds since 2004

We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, adoption and sanctuary of parrots living in captivity. We are located on 15 acres in the heart of Virginia. Birds are the third most popular companion animal in the United States and quickly becoming one of the most discarded or unwanted animals living in captivity.

Our mission is to provide a safe place for these birds to go when no other options are available. New arrivals are carefully quarantined and evaluated with an effort to adopt them out to a loving forever home. Birds that are not suitable for adoption are given the opportunity to remain here at the sanctuary in a cage-free flighted environment with others of their kind. The organization also serves as a boarding facility and offers a Lifetime of Care program.

Before bringing a companion parrot into your life please educate yourself. Most parrots do live for a very long time, up to 80+ years in captivity for the larger species. Birds do not belong in a cage for the majority of their life, if at all. Being a cage-bound animal often leads to behavioral problems such as excessive vocalizing and aggression. While many people can care for a bird in captivity, many cannot handle the responsibility within the first few years. Birds are messy, will bite and do vocalize - be prepared for this. If you are capable of properly providing for a bird in captivity, please choose adoption!