Planning your visit
Check out the video made by Andrew, one of our volunteers
To plan a visit or to volunteer, email either matt@projectperry.com or sheryl@projectperry.com to get started. Due to the large number of requests to visit and volunteer, we conduct first time visits in small groups every couple of weeks throughout the year, on both weekends and weekdays, typically at 1:00pm. Email us to find out when the next group visit is scheduled. Volunteers are currently needed for each day of the week. Volunteers arrive at 9am and usually stay for a few hours. During this time, volunteers help give fresh food & water and help clean their environments. Volunteers also have the option to stay longer during the day to help with special projects or to spend quality time with any of the birds.
We care for birds here in two capacities. The outdoor aviaries and year-round heated aviaries are designed for the permanent residents. These are cage-free, flighted, and most are in a flock community setting. The house serves primarily as a shelter for birds awaiting a new home. Bird rooms have been designed to eliminate the need for many of the birds to be caged. Many birds who do have cages have the door open throughout most of the day and are free to explore their surroundings as they wish. Few birds must remain in a cage when they are not able to be closely supervised. This is for the safety of other birds here.
Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when visiting the Sanctuary:
- Please note you will be asked to sign an injury / liability waiver form.
- Visitors and volunteers must be at least 18 years of age with few exceptions.
- Please wear clothing that has not been in contact with your birds. Upon returning home, it is wise to wash your clothes and take a shower before handling your own birds.
- Please do not bring your bird(s) or any other animals here. This is for the safety and health of the birds residing here.
- Enjoy your time here with the birds. Your interaction with them helps keep their intelligent minds busy but keep in mind that many of the permanent residents here prefer the companionship of another bird and may not want to interact with humans. Some of the wild-caught ex-breeder birds are extremely fearful of people. Please respect their space.
Ways you can help when you come for a visit
The Rescue and Sanctuary operates solely on contributions from the public, so it is always much appreciated if you are able to help out the birds residing here. You can ask to see in person which birds are seeking sponsorship. Our sponsorships page is located here. We also have merchandise available such as calendars, bumper stickers and t-shirts. Bird toys are always accepted but be sure the toys are new and have had no contact with birds outside of the sanctuary - no used toys can be accepted. If you decide to bring food or treat gifts for the birds, please see the following recommendations:
- Please no Kaytee or Hartz products
- We are faithful users of Roudybush and Goldenfeast products for our dry mix. Goldenfeast products, for example, feature human-grade ingredients - something we feel strongly about feeding the birds.
Our commitment to organic and natural foods
Effective Summer 2008, we now strive to feed the residents here a natural and organic fresh produce diet in addition to the dry mix listed above. We have always fed fresh produce but have recently made the decision to do our best to avoid food toxins (pesticides, etc...) in the produce. Some of the favorites here at the Sanctuary are: Apples, Bananas, Carrots, Oranges, Kiwi Fruit, Grapes, Cantaloupe, Cucumber, Quinoa (an exotic South American grain full of essential nutrients), Corn, Mango, Pineapple, Green Beans, Peas, Bell Peppers, Hot Peppers, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Spinach, Kale, Chard, Collard Greens. If you would like to bring fresh produce for the birds, please follow our guidelines for organic produce.
In an effort to reduce the cost to purchase fresh produce and to ensure the safety of the food, we do what we can to grow our own produce. In addition to a large garden space on the property, we are currently building a modest 450 sq.ft. heated greenhouse for year-round gardening only. We hope this will offset the costs of fresh produce and that it will be a fun project for everyone involved at the Sanctuary. We also have plans to start a section on the property for grape vines and perhaps a cold hardy kiwi fruit area as well. We planted 4 new apple trees at the beginning of the year which will someday give plenty of apples.
Here are just a few of our dedicated volunteers who are much appreciated!
(click photos to enlarge)
