Some of our residents need a little extra love and care when they arrive, like Moluccan Cockatoo Mango, who has a history of self-mutilation 😢. Our sanctuary director Amanda caught this sweet moment between Mango and volunteer Barb. Amanda says: “Walking through [the sanctuary] this afternoon I caught Barb singing and snugging Mango and honestly, this made me so emotional! How absolutely beautiful this interaction was! We staff have SO much on our plate, between husbandry, standard care, medical care, admin duties and facility operations the time we have to spend with our most needed residents is restricted. We are so grateful for our volunteers who are able to take the additional time to just be with our residents. It means the world to us. I cried tears of happiness seeing this. Thank you, Barb. Mango needed this so very much. Thank you to all of our volunteers who dedicate your time, love, and hearts to our organization and most importantly, to our residents. ♥️” (fb)

Enjoying a largely unregulated commercial industry for decades, aviculture has existed to promote the pet parrot experience and to satiate consumer demand with a steady flow of living product. As if running around in a storm trying to catch the rain in our bare hands, the rescue community scrambles to catch a cascade of falling parrots whose fates are dictated by the tides that shape and reshape the lives of human guardians. On some level, aviculturists and rescuers alike love and celebrate parrots. But we do this from opposite sides of an unyielding wall of clashing values and perspectives. Photo 📸: @brianjonesagram (fb)