Iowa Parrot Rescue and It Takes a Village in Muscatine IA have teamed up to get 7 birds to safety and comfort after ITAV triaged and housed them until it was legal to transfer. This rescue was an ordeal for ITAV… Here’s the article about how the birds are settling in.

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Muscatine Journal, August 22, 2024

Written by: Andrea Grubaugh

Since 1997, the Iowa Parrot Rescue in Letts has been rehabilitating parrots, taking care of them until they find their forever homes. The group hopes to do the same for some birds from a Muscatine animal neglect case. On Monday, Aug. 19, just a few days after It Takes a Village (ITAV) Animal Rescue and Resources received official custody of them, the group transferred ownership of seven small and medium-sized parrots to the Iowa Parrot Rescue. The birds were moved to the group’s facility in rural Muscatine County.

All seven parrots had been part of an open case of animal hoarding and neglect. In the days and weeks following the transfer, the birds will be vet-checked, behaviorally assessed and rehabilitated as necessary before then being made available for adoption through the rescue. According to Founder and Executive Manager Mike Hutchison, the parrots all seem to so far be in good shape physically. “The people at ITAV did a really good job getting them cleaned and fed,” he said, thanking the ITAV team for their hard work and effort with the birds. “We really appreciate what they did.” While there aren’t any obvious physical issues, Hutchison noted that the parrots still aren’t sociable at this time and expects that it’ll be quite a while before they are fully comfortable in their new environment and can be adopted. “They’ve been through a lot,” he said. “It’s going to take time to get these birds cheerful and feeling secure. They’ve had a lot of changes and they’re in another new place, now with lots of other birds around as well as new people.”

Thankfully, Hutchison and his team at Iowa Parrot Rescue are prepared to do all they need to do to help their new birds. This includes providing them with clean cages and enclosures that are both secure and comfortable, as well as the proper diet. “Feeding parrots is a constant learning process,” Hutchison said. “They need to have a varied and healthy diet, and frankly a lot of the stuff that gets sold for parrots isn’t very healthy.” He noted that many parrots that are surrendered or sent to the rescue have eventual medical issues caused by a poor diet. “You really have to do your homework before you start feeding them”, he said.

Once the physical needs are met, Hutchison explained that it’s then a matter of knowing how to handle each parrot as they learn about their unique behaviors. “They’re wild animals. They aren’t domesticated and they haven’t been bred over thousands of years to be with people like dogs, cats or horses have. They may be friendly, but only when they decide to be,” he said. “So, you have to learn about parrot behavior and what you can and can’t expect from them as well as how to work with them. For example, it’s impossible to punish a parrot for bad behavior.”

With how stressed the parrots likely were in their previous environment, Hutchison and his team understand the extra effort and care that these birds will probably need before being fully rehabilitated, being willing to take their time as the parrots continue to adjust. “After they are feeling safe, then we will start finding out what their actual personalities are like — because parrots are all individuals, just like people,” he added.

In its 28 years, the Iowa Parrot Rescue has taken in nearly 2,000 birds from across the state and beyond, with the rescue being able to find new homes for many of these birds. The Iowa Parrot Rescue is fully licensed and, as a nonprofit, relies heavily on donations and volunteers willing to give their time. “(Rehabilitating birds) takes a lot of time, energy, and emotional involvement, so if you’re not committed to it, it just doesn’t work. Fortunately, we have people who are very committed — including some volunteers who have been coming here for ten years, all for the satisfaction of helping birds,” Hutchison said.

Those wishing to learn more about how to volunteer with the rescue, donate or how to adopt one of its parrots can visit the rescue’s website at  www.iowaparrotrescue.org/ .