THE PROVINCE

One eye, few feathers but lovely personality
EXOTIC BIRDS: Sanctuary finds homes for feathered friends

Frank Luba
The Province

Sunday, November 28, 2004

CREDIT: Ric Ernst, The Province
Spook is a permanent resident at the exotic bird sanctuary.

Spook loved Ric.

It didn't take long for the Patagonian parrot, who seems to like men better than women, to land on a shoulder.

Maybe it was photographer Ric Ernst's shiny lenses that did the trick, but pretty soon Spook was following him all around Surrey's Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary.

When the photographer braved the cockatiels' aviary for some close-up pictures, Spook hung on the outside of the aviary shrieking and squawking.

How can you can you not love that, even if Spook's wicked looking beak looks like it could crack the Hope Diamond?

Spook, who has only one eye, has plucked out half of his feathers. He started doing it when his owner kept leaving him to travel on business.

The owner finally decided to give Spook to Greyhaven, where he is one of three permanent residents.

Not all of the birds at Greyhaven have problems like Spook but they all need care, attention and eventually, a new home.

That's why Greyhaven exists.

"We're the only one in Canada that we're aware of that has a sanctuary," said Cindy Koch, a director of the all-volunteer Greyhaven that takes in budgies, lovebirds, cockatiels and bigger birds that have been discarded.

"All of us just love these little guys," said Koch. "Why do people do dog and cat rescues?" she added.

"Because they love them. I love dogs, I love cats. For whatever reason, birds are just something a little special."

Some 40 to 60 birds at a time live at the Greyhaven sanctuary.

Their veterinary bills will be close to $9,000 this year, with repairs and equipment costing another $6,000 annually. The birds go through about $200 worth of food per month.

Greyhaven is a charitable foundation, if you want to help. For more information: www.greyhaven.bc.ca.