Who are we?
We are a group of bird loving individuals. We have been accepting surrendered pet exotic birds for decades. We are a 501C3 Non Profit Texas Corporation.
Who are we?
We are a group of bird loving individuals, that have been accepting surrendered pet exotic birds for decades. We are a 501C3 Non Profit Texas Corporation.
What do we do?
We accept any and all unwanted, deformed, abused and neglected pet birds. We have large aviaries for many of the birds to free fly. Others are in cages around our homes. They are all fed, watered, interacted with daily, warm in winter, and in summer we cool with fans and misters.
We have had hundreds of parrots; macaws, amazons, love birds, cockatiels and conures. Some have broken wings that were never set, so they can’t fly, a couple have spinal deformities so they can’t walk, but fly like eagles. A few are missing toes and a foot. Some are feather pluckers that have permanent feather loss. Some are old breeder birds that are no longer productive, don’t like people and just want to spend the rest of their lives peacefully. They are all welcome.
What is our experience?
The first bird “rescue” was over thirty five years ago as sub-permitees under Pierre and the late Ann Bradshaw of On the Wing Again. The first bird was a Kestrel that was toxic from fumes in a newly painted warehouse. He recovered and flew off without so much as a thank you. Soon we were permitees for bird rehabbing approved by Texas Parks and Wildlife and US Fish and Wildlife. We handled medical care, flight conditioning, raise rats for raptor food and rehabbed song birds until release. A chance encounter with an avian vet, who asked us to take an unwanted exotic bird, changed everything and Birdlink was born. From that one has come so many more.
What happened next?
The recession hit all of us and the birds. People that loved their birds but could no longer afford the expensive care , made sacrifices. They parted with their birds. Breeders found a slower market and reduced their flocks. Our personal resources were stretched, but we had to be sure that the birds were protected long term. So we took steps to create a Non Profit organization for rescue of all feathered creatures.
We organized, building a volunteer team. We had birds for adoption, foster care of special birds and our pet therapy programs. People that love birds came to the sanctuary and sat by the aviaries, talked to the birds or sang to them. It is wonderfully, mutually beneficial. I could keep the cages clean and everyone fed but the birds need the socializing provided by volunteers and “Senior Sitters”.
About five years ago, 2016… I decided I was too old to work with birds any more. It was a lot of work because at one point we had 150 parrots, plus the hawks and owls for rehab, the song birds, the 26 goats, the horse plus dogs and cats. A year went by and it occurred to me I wasn’t done yet. Birdlink Sanctuary was passed to younger, definitely prettier women that are continuing the traditions begun so long ago. I have gone back to my first loves, hawks and owls, sub permitted through Blackland Prairie Raptor Center.
Jean Bergere-Gibson, Founder of Birdlink Sanctuary, Texas USA