In early 2008 we set many new goals for ourselves including building a 3,600 sq.ft. aviary just for Greys - both the Timneh and the Congo. The aviary will replicate the most natural setting we can provide for them in captivity. Real bird-safe plant and tree life are to be planted including flowering trees and plants, palms, coconuts, bananas and many others.
Read about the opening of the Grey aviary on Wayne Pacelle's HSUS blog >>
Because the aviary is heated during even the harshest of winters and the polycarbonate panels allow nearly 90% of natural sunlight through, this allows the birds and the plantlife to thrive year-round. The heated section also features intakes and exhausts to allow for fresh air circulation. In the warm months, which is most of the year here in Virginia, they will have access to an attached section of the aviary which is meshed-out to allow the birds to live with the sun on their backs, the fresh wind in their feathers and the ability to take baths in the natural rain. Of course all of this allows the birds to live as a flighted flock with a social network.
Uchi exploring and nibbling the bark from vines
The African Grey Sanctuary Aviary may not be for every Grey. While we do offer a Lifetime of Care plan for African Greys, if your bird prefers human interaction over that of birds and you are no longer able to keep your Grey, we may be able to help find a new great home for your bird. We have experience with Greys that have actually been fearful or aggressive to other birds, even Greys, due to what could be a number of things which leads them to not be able to identify with others of their kind - often stemming from the practice of parental deprivation (what the pet trade calls "hand rearing"). These types of birds may not do so well in a social community setting.
We do our best to evaluate each bird we take in and place them into an appropriate situation, whether it be in Sanctuary or into an adoptive home. Due to the limited number of accredited Avian Sanctuaries in the United States with the ability to provide a proper lifetime of care to birds that are emotionally scarred by the acts of humans, we are increasingly selective with which birds we take in and more importantly - which birds remain here in Sanctuary. Our focus is to give a second chance to birds from the worst of situations - birds seized from severe abuse and neglect cases and ex-breeders for example - and give them what they never had but deserve.
Aviary Features
- Polycarbonate Panels (with up to 90% natural sunlight transmission)
- A Sturdy Steel Frame
- Stainless Steel Mesh
- Vented (safe) Propane Heating - for Wintertime use
- Natural Bird-Safe Plants and Trees
- A Predator-Proof Perimeter
- Size - 30' wide X 12' tall X 120' long
