Hi, Julie,

We had a meeting this morning, all hands on deck.  It was unanimous, no one wanted to be paid for their day, they wanted to donate their pay to TGF!  So when we get together I will bring you a check as well, hooray.  They were very very impressed and moved by what you are doing and the integrity with which you are doing it.  Of course, it went from “why are we breeding and contributing to the problem” to “we are making a big difference by raising awesome birds and qualifying and educating homes and I am proud to be a part of it”.  People were inspired by your enrichment programs (outdoors, toys, training) and about how much you and your staff care about each individual bird in your care.

Susanne

The group touring the conure room

Listo, everyone’s favorite ambasador sitting on a visitor’s shoulder

Listo visiting with another guest

Luke giving a presentation with Parker

IT’S SHARE THE LOVE TIME!!

The entire month of May, 2013, when you order any products to be drop shipped to a verified U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit rescue or sanctuary, we will match your donation up to $100.  So if you order $25, we will ship them $50 in products!  We will enclose a packing slip with your name and mailing address and you will receive a tax deductible receipt for your donation from the recipient.

Rescues and/or sanctuaries typically have a “wish list.”  If you’re unsure what to give them, ASK THEM what they need or give them a Busy Beaks Buck$ gift certificate and let them choose their own.  (Yes, we will still match the amount of the gift certificate up to $100 when it is redeemed.)

Thank YOU for helping us, help others!

Some of The Gabriel Foundation’s birds available for adoption:

WhiteBird, m. Citron cockatoo, about 12 y.o., social and interactive with a variety of people. White Bird and 7 other birds were rescued by TGF when their owner in Idaho died.

Tamika and Zuzu, around 15 years old,  are a bonded pair of African parrots who are currently available for adoption together.  They behave very nicely at events and will make wonderful companions to the right person some day! Like some couples, these two birds enjoy each other’s company but prefer to share separate “bedrooms”; they each have their own cages and otherwise enjoy time spent together everywhere. They are a long time couple who along with 12 other birds and two dogs were rescued by TGF when their owner lost her home due to eviction. They behave very nicely at events and will make wonderful companions to the right person some day!

Katie,  Umbrella 20 y.o. female cockatoo is a TGF alumni. Katie was adopted out in 2001 and was returned to us in 2012. Katie’s great with kids, men, women, other birds and even dogs. Katie can be vocal at times so any adopter must make certain that she has many things to keep her busy throughout her day and that she gets an opportunity for plenty of physical exercise and sleep.

Ivy, f. Citron cockatoo hatched in 1999. She lived with her family until 2008 when she came to us for long term boarding. After many years, her family decided that they are unable to take her back. She is a lovely bird and enjoys many people.

Samantha, f. Blue and Gold macaw, hatched in 1999. She came into TGF along with her friend, Ivy in 2008 for Long term boarding and was finally relinquished. Samantha’s got character and charm, and she adores her swing!

Jema, f. Indian Ringneck, about 15 years old. She’s been with TGF since 2005, and she sure could use a home. One of her best friends was adopted out several months ago and Jema wants a family of her own. She feather plucks at her chest sometimes and those feathers generally grow back.

Annie, f. Indian Ringneck, about 4 years old. Annie’s the same type of bird as Jema, except that she’s a blue mutation. She was transferred to TGF from a Denver area animal shelter in 2009. We’ve helped Annie to learn that people can be fun and trusted, and she’s ready for a family of her own.

Dusty and Cinda f. cockatiels, about 8 years old. These two were rescued along with 9 other parrots from an eviction and their owner could no longer care for them. They are so cute, good friends, and have been in our handling and training program so they know how to step up, get from place to place and are comfortable with people. They enjoy their daily activities, especially walking around foraging for all kinds of treats. They’re sweet and are ready to live with the right family. Patience, trust and understanding are the keys to a successful relationship with these Aussie cuties.

 Barney and Peter enjoying a slice of pizza!

Hector giving a thumbs up up to the tasty pizza

Jennie and Maria showing off the empty boxes

Dear The Gabriel Foundation,

Hello my name is Elizabeth and I am a seventh grader in middle school. In the past couple years I have found a passion for parrots and therefore I decided to do my school project on them. This will be a very big school project with a main purpose to educate people about parrots. This project will include everything from interesting facts about parrots, to why they are the most endangered bird species. Also it will include warnings against impulse buying a parrot. It doesn’t get too deep into one subject due to the fact that most people do not even know that a macaw is a type of parrot, so I kept it general to help people comprehend parrots and to educate them not to the point where they are confused.

For my project I believe it would be very helpful to have a live parrot for people to see. My family does not own a parrot, so I was wondering if The Gabriel Foundation knows of someone who would be willing to bring their parrot to my project’s exhibition. The reason why I would like a parrot for my project is, one I think that for people to see what animal I am talking about is very beneficial. Also people will take interest in the bird and if there are questions that come up, I would be able to respond to them. I think it would be wonderful to have the viewers of my project actually see a parrot, because most people never get to see one in their lifetime so I think it would great to give people that experience. Lastly I think it will help my project be more comprehensible if there is a parrot for viewing and observing.

To oblige Lizzy and help with her school project, TGF staff member Kelly Haynes and her special needs foster care Quaker parrot, Pawlie, made the drive to Lafayette, CO to add impact to how wonderful interaction with a parrot could be.

As you can tell, Pawlie was a hit, and reports are that everyone enjoyed Lizzie’s presentation. Yay for kids!

Today, a good Samaritan stopped by the aviary stating that there was a bird on the side of the highway not too far from the aviary that appeared to be injured. Dr. Opitz and Luke loaded up the van with a crate and towels and hit the road not knowing what would be found. Frequently hawks can be seen on the ground after attempting to hunt while they catch their breath, but it’s not an unheard of story with The Gabriel Foundation to have parrots found outside that have either escaped or been set loose. As they drove down the road, they spotted the bird in question. It was a Western Grebe! They are native to Colorado in the summer and many can be found migrating this time of year. He must have come down due to the poor weather today and gotten stuck. Western Grebes are a species of waterfowl and need large open spaces of water in order to take off. Dr. Opitz examined him and did not find any injuries. He has been transported to a wildlife rehabilitator for further evaluation and hopefully a soon return to the wild!

Available for adoption in 30 days: adopt fee: $35

Thanks so very much to everyone who’s offered to help get them them here.

Nebraska Humane Society (Omaha, NE) Animal Cruelty Case:  25 parrots to be transferred to custody of The Gabriel Foundation

The Gabriel Foundation has been asked to accept transfer and custody of 25 parrots surrendered to Nebraska Humane Society. We need help to transport these birds from Omaha, NE to our Denver location.

This matter is before the court in Omaha at this time. The birds were seized by Nebraska Humane Society due to extremely filthy circumstances jeopardizing the birds’ lives. The owner subsequently relinquished the birds to NE HS. At this time, we do not have ages or histories on these birds. We were told that the owner was a bird breeder.

The Gabriel Foundation needs to provide veterinary exams and appropriate diagnostic testing for these birds. No financial assistance will be provided by NE HS. Again, we turn to our supporters to help us care for them.

You can sponsor one of these birds or make a restricted donation for all of the NE Humane Society birds transferred to TGF.

For more info, please contact: Jennie Wyrwicki, 303.629.5900 x215, jwyrwicki@thegabrielfoundation.org, or 720.308.7390

Birds coming to The Gabriel Foundation:

• 4 Eclectus parrots (2 pair)
• 2 Crimson (Pennant) Rosellas
• 2 blue mutation Quakers
• 2 Umbrella cockatoos (1 male, 1 unknown)
• 1 Citron crested cockatoo
• 14 grass parakeets with the following sub-types:
  • 7 Bourke’s
  • 5 Scarlet chested (aka Splendid parakeets)
  • 3 color-mutation Princess of Wales parakeets