About Us

We are a no-kill, non-profit organization funded solely through donations. MAARS’ primary function is to care for the MAARS flock at our shelter, The Landing. 

ON ANY GIVEN DAY

APPROXIMATELY 85 BIRDS

CALL OUR SANCTUARY HOME

Almost 70 Volunteer staff working twelve shifts per week tend to the daily needs of the MAARS Flock.

WHY WE DO IT

Although birds are beautiful, intelligent, loving, and entertaining, they can be very difficult and demanding in captivity — especially the larger parrots. Many people do not find out in advance how much living with a bird will impact their lives before purchasing Polly. While birdkeeping remains a lifetime joy for some people, many are quickly overwhelmed by the noise, mess, expense, and time commitment it involves.

Most captive-bred birds are still only a handful of generations out of the wild. They are still wild animals that are still instinctively programmed to lead lives that are very different from what humans can provide in our homes. Some birds make the physical and mental transition from the wild to captivity well, while many don’t, to varying degrees. 

Since the founding of MAARS in July 1999, almost 1500 unwanted parrots have come through our doors. More than 1400 birds have been successfully placed into permanent homes. 

Although these numbers may seem high, they represent only one tree in an entire forest of unwanted and unplaceable captive parrots and other birds. The need for programs like MAARS is growing rapidly. The birds desperately need us and your help!

One Earth Conservation has a new website!! It includes more info about the species we protect and our projects and more resources for you to explore. Check it out at:
www.oneearthconservation.org/
And please excuse any remaining bugs. We tried to catch them all, but a few might have escaped our notice (we're working on catching those asap).

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It is important to remember that enrichment is only valuable if it matters to your bird. If the bird is not interacting with the item, fearful of the item, or bored with an item or task, it is not providing enrichment. Part of your enrichment regimen should include monitoring your bird’s reaction to different enrichment items. Similar to other animals, each bird may have preferences for certain types of enrichment, and enrichment options should be tailored to these preferences. As mentioned previously, some birds may need items introduced more gradually or might need to be taught how to use the item. Items previously ignored may also become enriching in the future is if reintroduced at another time.
www.aav.org/blogpost/1778905/485741/Enrichment-is-only-valuable-if-it-matters-to-your-bird

#AAVEnrichmentTip #avianenrichment #birdenrichment #avianforaging #busybeaksbusybrains #foraging #foragingforfood #workforit #avianbehavior #parrots #avianmedicine #parrotlover #parrotlife
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