Heartland Avian Rescue Project

12/08/2025

Check out our website for more information about Brando (and other available birds) and to fill out an application form!

12/08/2025

We agree that foraging and enrichment are wonderful tools and necessary outlets for the parrots who live with us! If you have a feathered friend, let us know: what is their favorite way to forage?

Proven benefits of enrichment: Foraging

Foraging enrichment has been shown to increase activity levels and reduce stereotypic/abnormal behaviors in birds.

1. Huber-Eicher B, Wechsler B. The effect of quality and availability of foraging materials on feather pecking in laying hen chicks. Anim Behav. 1998;55:861-873.
2. Miller KA, Mench JA. The differential effects of four types of environmental enrichment on the activity budgets, fearfulness, and social proximity preference of Japanese quail. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2005;95:169-187.
3. Meehan CL, Millam JR, Mench JA. Foraging opportunity and increased physical complexity both prevent and reduce psychogenic feather picking by young Amazon parrots. Appl Anim Behav Sci. 2003;80:71-85.
4. Keiper RR. Studies of stereotypy function in the canary (Serinus canarius). Anim Behav. 1970;18:353-357.

10/08/2025

We couldn't explain it better ourselves! We would add, HARP is 100% run by volunteers, and we really are a caring community of people. Please remember that volunteers also have full-time jobs, family commitments, and other obligations they are balancing along with rescue work. Thank you, everyone, for you kind support!

Rescue is NOT Retail and here’s why that matters

One of the biggest misconceptions we face in animal rescue, whether it’s parrots, cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, ferrets, or reptiles is the idea that we operate like a store-type business.

We don’t.
And we can’t.

Here's why rescue doesn’t (and shouldn’t) follow a retail model and why we ask for patience, compassion, and partnership instead of consumer convenience:
🔸 We don’t sell animals.
We are guardians, ambassadors, advocates, rehabilitators, and matchmakers. Our focus is on welfare, not inventory turnover. Each life matters deeply and uniquely.
🔸 We don’t work “normal” hours.
Rescue often means 3 a.m. gavage feedings, receiving late night ICU kids, vet transports that take all day, and emergencies, not full-time availability to answer non-urgent questions about an animal’s adoption status. We're not being rude, we're triaging lives, cleaning enclosures, doing feedings, answering emails (usually “late”), doing fundraising, preparing educational materials, etc.
🔸 There are no guarantees or even “forever” homes.
Unlike buying a product with a receipt and return policy, adopting is a long-term commitment based on relationships of trust and education, not transactions. Things can and do go wrong, and we need to be here to help with that, too.
🔸 We are mission-driven, not profit-driven.
Every decision, from who adopts to how and when, is made in the best interest of the animal, not to “make a sale.”
🔸 We have limited resources.
Space, time, medical care, and trained foster/volunteer help are finite. This means waitlists, evaluations, and sometimes hard decisions.
🔸 We don’t operate on demand.
We can’t create animals to suit preferences. We work with those who need help, and what they’ve survived, often trauma, neglect, injury, medical issues, to mourning and loss of their families.
🔸 Our work continues after adoption.
Education, support, and community are part of the commitment. We don’t just "hand over the animal" and move on.
🔸 We advocate for the voiceless.
Which means sometimes, we say “no.” Not to offend but to protect.

04/08/2025

01/08/2025

Happy Friday, everyone! Be careful if you bring your birds outside today in the Omaha area: air quality is unhealthy for people, which means it will be extremely hard on our feathered friends.

31/07/2025

Time for a fun fact! The name “cockatiel” is derived from Portuguese, but in their native Australia, the indigenous Alyawarr people call them “arew-arews”; you might also hear them called weiros or quarrion. Would you like to meet one of our favorites?

30/07/2025

If you would like to donate through our Chewy wishlist, here is the link!

https://www.chewy.com/g/heartland-avian-rescue-project_b124628005 -list

We also accept donations through PayPal; visit us online at www.heartlandavianrescueproject.org and click on the button at the bottom that says "Donate". Thank you!

29/07/2025

Today we have a wonderful story for you about a little parrot who defied the odds with our help -- Enjoy!

Rescue Matters

This is Pickle.

Pickle is a sweet, adorable quaker who loves his adoptive family, as well as anyone he meets that comes into his house, chatters up a storm and just discovered the joy in taking a bath in the sink. Pickle loves to talk to his adoptive family and says phrases such as “Pickle”, “Pickle Pickle”, “What doing?”, “Gimme a kiss”… and a few naughty words he picked up from his main caregiver.

Why does rescue matter you ask?

Because less then one short year ago Pickle was given a death sentence. His previous owner severely clipped his wings as a baby, leaving him unable to fly, or even glide. He could only do little hops.

Then Pickle was tossed out on a country road, far from any houses, which made it a death sentence for him. He still had his baby soft spots on the sides of his beak. A Good Samaritan knew this road was a dumping ground for unwanted animals, so she drives it regularly and thank goodness she did that day. She was Pickle’s guardian angel. She spotted a bright ball of green about the size of an apple that didn’t belong and stopped to rescue him. Then she called us to help him.

We always give people the benefit of the doubt. Accidents happen, birds get startled and can fly away. Sometimes with wind, they can fly far, far away. Even with clipped wings, the wind can catch them and send them soaring. However, if you remember previously, Pickles wings were cut severely, so he was unable to fly or lift off the ground. Which made this a death sentence for poor baby Pickle. We were unsure how he could have possibly have made his way to a gravel road in the middle of the country.

We posted Pickle on all the Lost Pet sites on FB, filed found reports with the local authorities, such as animal control. We tried to find Pickle’s owners (as we do for all found birds placed in our care) for a minimum of 30 days, just in case this was an unfortunate accident that he ended up on that gravel road.

No one came forward and Pickle was adopted by his foster mom. Pickle is adored by everyone who meets him and is a typical sassy quaker … he tries to tell the you he’s the boss, especially in his cage.

It will forever be a mystery on why someone decided they no longer wanted Pickle. Did his little baby screams annoy them too much? Did they think he was biting too much? Most people don’t realize parrots use their beaks to climb on things. They aren’t biting, it’s just another way to grip on to things to move around.

Baby parrots, just like humans, need to learn how to behave. To be guided on how to be the best parrot they can be when they grow up. They need to be taught that biting, screaming and all the fun things that make people give up parrots, isn’t a healthy way to live. Just like human children, it’s a lot of work and patience. Maybe some bites … but in the end it’s totally worth it. You get a well rounded, well behaved happy little bird like Pickle.

But his forever family is glad they did and they thank his guardian angel who found him to save his life.

So yes, rescue matters. It’s a matter of life and death for some of these poor souls.

25/07/2025

Update: Pikachu is HOME! Thank you everyone for your help sharing and keeping an eye out. Pikachu was spotted this morning in a persons backyard happily munching on bird seed. They posted on next door with a couple of pictures. A couple of our volunteers with our rescue went to that neighborhood to see if they could spot Pikachu. One volunteer recognized the house in one of the pics and the rest as they say is history. They contacted the owner who rushed over and walked right up to Pikachu and picked her up! So very glad for this happy ending!

‼️ Lost Bird in Lincoln, NE‼️

Hello Lincoln friends!

Pikachu got scared a few days ago and flew out of the house at 66th & Hwy 2.

Pikachu is a white cockatiel with orange cheeks, yellow face & yellow crest feathers Pikachu’s owner desperately misses Pikachu and has been looking all over.

Pikachu was just spotted today, Friday, July 25 in the neighborhood by 14th & Old Cheney just a couple of hours ago.

Pikachu was lost around 66th & Hwy 2, so Pikachu has traveled quite a ways!

If you spot Pikachu please call or text Munir Al-Eiso at:

4️⃣0️⃣2️⃣-8️⃣0️⃣5️⃣-1️⃣6️⃣9️⃣1️⃣babo r y

05/07/2025

Happy Fourth!

17/06/2025

We always put the bios of birds newly available for adoption up on our website first (www.heartlandavianrescueproject.org), and then on Facebook, and usually it happens within the same day. This time your Facebook announcement is coming to you a bit later... but better late than never? Again and always, thank you for your support! For those that haven't yet had the pleasure, say hello to Clyde!

03/06/2025

UPDATE! Mr. Dumpy and Pringle have found their forever home with a wonderful family, and we could not be happier for all of them!

Forget about February -- we think JUNE is the month of LOVE! No matter how you celebrate LOVE this month, may we suggest that you consider opening your home to our adoptable bonded pair of cockatiels, Pringle and Mr. Dumpy?

We have a challenge for our community: can we find the perfect landing spot for these two before the end of June?

They have been feeling a little forgotten, so we told them we would pass along their message. What is so great about Pringle and Mr. Dumpy?
1. They are often pretty self sufficient. While all parrots need basic care like fresh (healthy!) food and water, a clean cage and home environment, toys and a variety of perches, P and Mr. D are not as demanding for time as other birds might be. They do enjoy living in a home with other birds to listen and call to, but they don't need hours of engagement from the humans in the home: they take care of each other. Sometimes caring for a parrot is all-consuming, but if you work outside the home (as most of us do), they assure us that when the basics are met, they are content.
2. They may be more interactive with people, if that is what you are looking for. Mr. Dumpy is known to step up when asked, and they both appreciate out of cage time to fly around their space (it is great exercise, both for their mind and body). Pringle is a bit more reserved, but with time and attention, she may come around a bit.
3. They don't require a massive toy budget -- unlike SOME birds we know! ;) While toys should still be provided and rotated regularly, P and Mr. D are not super destructive.
4. P and Mr. D are bonded, but they promise to be on their best behavior around the family (no funny business, kids!). Occasionally P will lay an egg or two, but as a rescue, we ask that any of their eggs be destroyed. P and Mr. D understand. They don't want to have to divvy up their love any more than you want to contribute to the captive parrot overpopulation problem.

Those are the highlights, but visit us online to read more about them and put in an adoption application! The link is here: https://www.heartlandavianrescueproject.org/adoption/available-birds