Iowa Parrot Rescue

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Iowa Parrot Rescue

Founded in 1996, we are Iowa’s only state-inspected, 501(c)3 parrot rescue, providing shelter, rehab, and forever homes.
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Dedicated to rescue, adoption, and education, we put birds first. Founded in 1997, Iowa Parrot Rescue is a 501(c)3 certified and the only health-inspected rescue in Iowa. We are committed to placing our birds in the right homes for their needs. The Iowa Parrot Rescue philosophy is pretty simple… The birds come first, second, and last. We are dedicated to providing the best care possible, with the greatest amount of freedom.

08/19/2026

Meet Benson- one seriously special bird.

I got a phone call on Monday morning, but the voicemail didn't pop up until Tuesday evening as I was heading out for the day. Something must've been drawing me to this voicemail because it was urgent... This ~60 year old Congo African Grey needed to find somewhere to go by that night or the following morning, because she and her dad had nowhere else to go. It was clearly extremely urgent that we discuss the situation so her dad and I talked for almost an hour and a half and figured out how to get Benson here in the morning and within 18 hours, she arrived! Cue scrambling to get a cage together in the quarantine room... :-)

She has a super interesting story, starting her life in the wild and being imported to the US probably as an adult based on her having an import band (laws became stricter about quarantine stations in the 70's). Then she lived at Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington IL in an aviary with other birds. She was brought home by an employee who would then have her for her entire life as we now know it (well, she lived within the family her whole life, outliving TWO family members!). Hence, she sure is a special thing.
Now of course at her age, she's got some things going on. She has arthritis, likely has vision problems, and doesn't have much pep in her step. She's a minor plucker hence her little pink feathers. She's also pretty nervous. Benson will be here for quite a while before deciding on next steps but for now, she's cozy and has padded perches plus platforms throughout the cage for accessibility. Also all the treats she could ask for! 🥜 She will go to the vet in one week for her intake exam, and disease testing stuff is already in the mail. Welcome Benson, to your new chapter.
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Looking to adopt? Visit our website at iowaparrotrescue.org/adopt
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Would you like to support our mission by donating items or funds? Please see iowaparrotrescue.org/donate
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Need a courtesy post or information on surrendering? Please see iowaparrotrescue.org/surrender

08/15/2026

We had a little vet roundup on Wednesday afternoon, where I brought Jojo Green-cheek, Lucky Jenday, and Paco26 Blue and Gold in for Bloodwork, scans, and exams. Here's the rundown...

Jojo was in for scans to see if the treatment for pneumonia a couple months ago worked and if her mild liver disease concern has resolved. Her scans were excellent, so the pneumonia treatment was great and there's no concern for cancer!! Her bile acids are back to normal and the rest of her Bloodwork looks great. JoJo is officially cleared for adoption (makes me slightly sad because she's the best bird ever).

Paco26 got scans which showed mild arthritis in his wings, but doesn't affect his ability to fly or move. Everything else looked excellent. His f***l and gram stain were great, Bloodwork last month was perfect. Paco26 also got his gold star to be adopted, for anyone with experience. He's kind of a grumpy man 🙂‍↕️

Lucky was a complicated chicken for sure. She was in for an intake, but has been getting a bit more lethargic overall too and the timing was ideal to bring her in. Lucky's never been DNA sexed but assumed male. We did x-rays since she had them last in January- she broke her left leg very badly and is disabled as a result. She didn't get surgery, so the bones are still disconnected and she's in a good amount of pain. I don't think the pain itself is causing all her lethargy but it's certainly contributing. She doesn't bear weight at ALL. Her femur is disconnected. The original x-rays showed some patchiness of the bones and the new ones did too, indicating weakness and what is almost certainly a metabolic bone disease caused by a chronic calcium deficiency (common in reptiles and some parrot species like African Greys). This made her bones weak and prone to breakage in some locations! Furthermore, we discovered Lucky is... Probably a female based on a suspiciously egg shaped object inside her abdomen 🥚. So she's on baby watch inside the ICU for a while. It's pretty big and we are crossing our fingers hoping there's no need for a surgery to remove it. That would really suck for a 23 year old bird with their first egg (but also on par for a bird named Lucky). If it's not an egg, um... I have more questions and we will go back in for follow up scans LOL! Lucky is still on medical hold and still getting her bio added to the website.

We still have tons of other birdies available for adoption, including LOTS of littles ready and waiting for their perfect home. We are full to the brim right now and responding to applications every day so check your spam folders if you've applied and haven't seen our response.
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Looking to adopt? See our website at iowaparrotrescue.org/adopt
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Would you like to support our mission by donating items or funds? Please see iowaparrotrescue.org/donate
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Need to surrender or seeking a courtesy post? See iowaparrotrescue.org/surrender

08/11/2026

*This is a courtesy post. NOTE-this bird is NOT in our building. If you are interested, contact information for the owner is at the bottom. Do not contact us in regards to this bird please, comments depicting "interested" will be deleted. As always, there is no charge for adopting them or anything they come with.*

✨ TANGO ✨

I've been fostering this sweet 4-year-old Sun Conure for a little over a month after his owner unexpectedly passed away. 💔 He came from a hoarding situation, so I stepped in to give him a safe place while he adjusted.
Tango is truly one of my dream birds, which makes writing this incredibly hard. Unfortunately, I've realized my home just isn't the right environment for him. With four kids, our house is simply too busy, and he's recently begun showing signs of stress by plucking under his wings. He deserves a calm, stable home where he can truly thrive.
If you love having a feathered toddler who wants to be involved in everything, enjoys dance parties, and melts when you call him "Pretty Boy," Tango might be your perfect match. 😂

A few things to know about Tango:

🦜 He is not cage aggressive. His cage is his safe place, and he does very well around it.

🥦 He's a picky eater. We've been working hard to improve his diet, and he is currently eating Bird Bistro along with other healthy foods. I'd love for his future family to continue encouraging healthy eating habits.

👶 No young children. He would do best in a home without children 10 years old or younger.

❤️ He hates being alone. Being by himself causes him anxiety, so he needs a family that has plenty of time to spend with him. He thrives on companionship.

🤲 He doesn't currently enjoy being handled. He needs someone experienced with Sun Conures who has the patience and knowledge to continue building his trust.

😂 Fair warning: A previous owner's son taught him a few colorful words. He occasionally says the F-word when apples appear, cats walk by, or something surprises him... and every now and then you'll hear a dramatic "WTF?" 🤦‍♀️

He will come with:
• His main cage
• Three additional smaller/travel cages
• Toys
• Food
• Veterinary information (clean bill of health!)

This is not first come, first served. Finding the right forever home is my priority, and I will be selective because he deserves the very best.

📍 Located in Urbandale IA

Thank you,
Nathan
Cell 772-333-5341
[email protected]

08/08/2026

*This is a courtesy post. NOTE-this bird is NOT in our building. If you are interested, contact information for the owner is at the bottom. Do not contact us in regards to this bird please. As always, there is no charge for adopting them or anything they come with.*

Gray, Delia, and Skye are a sweet, bonded little trio looking for a loving home together. Gray is a 10 year old pied male cockatiel. He can’t fly due to abuse from his first home and has a weaker grip, but he is the sweetest boy who loves hanging out on top of the cage and foraging around the bottom at night. There are ribbons and bandanas tied to the top bars of the cage to allow him to grip better, and they all like to play with these. He will still sometimes try to glide.
Delia is a 6 year old female cockatiel who can fly and is the guardian of the flock. She loves climbing all over the cage like a monkey and watching over everyone.
Skye is a 2 year old blue male budgie who was brought in to keep Gray company. All three of them actually decided on their own to move into one cage together, and they’ve formed their own happy family that looks out for one another.

Every morning, they love when you open the cage and ask if they’re ready to come out. Gray comes out first, then Skye, and Delia likes to explore on her own time, but they always head back to the cage when they're done because it’s their safe space. They do fine around supervised teenagers but they really just need a patient home that will keep all three of them together.
They used to get wing trims but haven't in a while due to the owners health- they have also not had vet care so will need it asap. An average simple exam will run you minimum $60 each, and Gray will likely need rads for his disabled wings ($200ish).

They will come with their large cage, but you must be able to pick them up on the south side of Indianola, Iowa.

Contact information
Kerri Jo Carlson
[email protected]

08/06/2026

!!!BOLO!!!
We've been made aware of a Quaker that got loose in the West Branch Village area in West Branch IA, less than an hour from us. The family is new to the IA and may not be familiar With the area, so needs the community's help looking.
-his name is Yoshi
-he is a poor flier
-he is missing a toe

-if he is found, please contact Iowa Parrot Rescue and we can get you in contact with the owner. If needed, he can be temporarily housed here in our quarantine room and we will hold him for the owners to pick up. Do not give him to anybody that is NOT the verified owner. He will need to be contained somewhere warm, dark, and quiet until he is retrieved by the owner (since he will likely be wet and stressed from the rain).

08/05/2026

Sunshine is feeling good today... Apparently good enough to get back to his old antics of hanging upside down 🙃 this is why he's on crate rest until we can trust him not to fall due to his weak foot! That thing is floppy still but getting stronger each day.
Today he was able to unwrap it and put it around a perch to sit on the floor, so I put a big bowl of water in front of him and he drank a BUNCH! Go sunshine go!
I lowered his gabapentin dose which he seems to be extra sensitive to compared to most of our birds.
And yes, we are feeding him absolutely whatever he wants... Including roasted unsalted peanuts from Anuts, which are aflatoxin free and tested.

In other news, I gave TC Harlequin a toy on Christmas and she decided to start chewing it up today. 😆 Macaws!

08/04/2026

Little bit of a tougher read today but worth it in the end!
Regarding elderly birds and their complications- we often end up with many, many senior parrots because people have gotten too old to handle them, family is unable to take the birds after their owners pass away or become incapable, and then the birds end up with us. Many of these birds have complex health issues, may even be dying, and I'm sure most rescues across the US face the same concern. There are some birds we only have for a couple months before they pass away! Early this year we took in a surrender of the most lovely little Quaker. We knew she was so old but did not know her age exactly. She was with us for less than a month before she passed away peacefully in her sleep. The day before, I took her outside and we spent a lot of time sitting in the grass and I sung songs to her. Casey can agree when I say we feel every single loss and cry for each bird, no matter how long they've been with us.

Some of you may remember Sunshine, our ancient Scarlet Macaw (63-68 years old). He arrived with us at the end of 2023 just around Christmas. He was one of the worst looking birds that I've ever seen in my life... A horrific beak deformity, rail thin, suffering from malnutrition, missing half a wing, femur break, nearly blind, it just goes on. He's been one of the most complicated birds but so incredibly resilient. By all means we have had birds that required more intensive ongoing care- Sunshine required more up front.
Fast forward 3 years, our wonderful Casey found Sunshine in an unusual state on Thursday morning, his head flopped to one side and left foot balled into a fist. I was already on my way in and after examining him for quite a while, it turned out he had nystagmus as well and was definitely presenting with neurological impairment. Dr Snyder at Whitehaven was able to see him within only a few hours of calling! He remained stable through the day, she prescribed meds, and did Bloodwork which didn't look awful. There's certainly an inflammatory process happening and we will need to do some follow ups and weigh the risk of further diagnostics (sedated scans) to determine what precisely is occuring. The most likely cause, as I understand, is a stroke. It was my first thought having seen many strokes in different species, but they all present differently. There are some Bloodwork markers that may indicate a vascular event.
Our bill was about $300 this time, and thanks to DDAF is fully covered by our grant from 2025.
For now, we are mostly focused on keeping Sunshine calm, comfortable, and well fed/hydrated. There is something very unsettling about the feeling that you can't do very much but wait, watch, and trust that the bird in front of you has been fighting for a long time and will continue to do so. It's so easy to want to hold control of every single situation but rescue will prove time and time again that really... There is no control to be had over any of these birds. They are wild animals (not domesticated) and we can do every single thing medically and physically to make them free and comfortable, but their healing is up to them. And trust me, they ARE some tough little critters :) we are blessed to work with them every day, bring those we can to a healthier state, and have a good support system like you all. Thanks for sticking by us, always.

07/26/2026

Yesterday, Mr Magoo (sweet elderly Senegal who has lived here for the past two years) actually found his forever home. A gracious person in Ankeny committed to providing a safe passage for his golden years and was willing to learn all about his quirks! Of which he has many :-) So, we said our bittersweet goodbye and sent him on his way. We cannot be more proud of him and happy that Valerie took a chance on a bird that I thought was going to live his life out here.

Later, one of Marlon's dads visited Jasper Goffin's and spent some time bonding. He will be taking Jasper home in September but for now, just spent time hanging out and getting used to each other. They're already friends- Jas spent lots of time offering kisses. He got some supplies to take home and brought this desk in for us as a donation! It fits the space the old desk and table did, plus it's easier to keep clean being mostly metal. He also helped build it, set up the barrier in the back, AND reset the electronics in place without unplugging it all. The new setup looks so nice and provides a bit better storage. We are extremely thankful! What a great Saturday.

07/24/2026

On Wednesday, we took in this absolute beauty named Lucky. Lucky is a 23 year old Jenday conure that we assume is male, I am not sure if he was ever DNA sexed. He is a total sweetheart. Lucky has been in his home for the last 22 years, was purchased from Petco as a baby and owned by someone else for only a year before finding his home. He's been a wonderful companion and friend, and sadly it was time for Lucky to find a new home for his golden years. We made the space in our quarantine room for this darling little guy who had nowhere else to go.

Back in April, Lucky broke his left leg and it wasn't able to be fixed due to how complex the fractures were complicated with his age- it made for a very risky surgery. He has learned to adapt somewhat, balancing on his right leg and using his beak gently to pull himself around, but he isn't able to bear weight at all. He flies well and likes to land on a shoulder or a hand and is already getting comfortable with his adapted cage. He can move around using his right leg and beak with platforms, perches, and the bars of the cage. He is definitely disabled and needs to be handled carefully, but adapts well and probably doesn't need a ton of specialty care in the future. He will get the same evaluation that all our new intakes get, plus initial disease testing and new scans to see how his injury healed up over time and determine if long term pain management is needed.
We are in consideration for a 2026 Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF) grant for our Medical Fund, which provides thousands of dollars in lifesaving medical care every year. Their support of us over the years has been critical and cannot be overstated. Without them for our medical funds, we would not be able to provide this type of care and we are incredibly grateful!

*****If you'd like to help support our birds, we have an Amazon wishlist on our webpage as well as a donation link. Please consider helping out with supplies! Thank you.
https://www.iowaparrotrescue.org/donate
Click "get involved", "donate", and scroll down to find our wishlist.

07/21/2026

On Sunday, our little Mickey Scarlet found his forever home with a previous adopter. Yesterday we sent home Heidi DYH Zon who came in with him. All three from that group are now in loving homes and thoroughly enjoying life... I have high hopes for Mickey and his new family, they have even been able to pet his beak very calmly. Hopefully his language improves too 😉 Heidi is already chatting and snuggling away, seemingly moved right into her home without a second thought.
This brings us down temporarily to 65 birds in the building with one arriving tomorrow. Your continued support and contributions each month are crucial to allowing us to continue not only caring for these magnificent birds, but finding them excellent homes as well! Thanks to you all!

Address

2479 Golden Avenue
Letts, IA
52754

Telephone

+13193441700

Website

http://www.iowaparrotrescue.org/

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