Meet These Celebrity-Obsessed Parrots

In 1984, a small group of dedicated animal advocates settled in Utah’s high desert to create a sanctuary where every pet, regardless of any special needs, could find healing and love. Their dream grew into Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, now the nation’s largest of its kind and the heart of the no-kill movement.

Among the sanctuary’s various internal divisions, the Parrot Garden is a vibrant (and beautifully noisy!) haven dedicated to the care, rehabilitation, and rehoming of parrots. 

The Parrot Garden: A Sanctuary Within a Sanctuary

In the very beginning, the Best Friends Sanctuary housed a mix of animals like dogs, cats, bunnies, burros, and birds, including parrots. Over the years, its mission expanded, and the sanctuary became known for its specialized care facilities.

“Parrots have always been a part of Best Friends in some way or another,” shares Lydia Olmack, a resident bird expert. “But we did get our own headquarters in 2018.” This milestone marked a significant step forward, allowing the sanctuary to accommodate more birds and address their unique needs. 

“Currently, our estimate is that there are around 200,000 homeless parrots in America alone, so there’s a pretty large need,” shares Lydia. “And unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of parrot rescues, because it’s really hard to find funding for them. It’s really hard to find housing.”

The headquarters features innovative spaces tailored to parrot welfare, such as a central indoor aviary that provides a safe environment for flighted birds to exercise, and specialized rooms catering to the unique needs of different species. “We have a cockatoo room that sometimes gets a little rowdy,” Lydia shares with a laugh. “But we can close the door and make it a little bit more sectioned off so the cockatoos aren’t getting everyone else riled up.”

Leave it to the cockatoos. 

A Closer Look at the Parrot Species

Parrots are extraordinary creatures, renowned for their intelligence, colorful plumage, and social nature. The Parrot Garden is home to approximately 130 parrots at any given time, representing a diverse array of species, from macaws to cockatoos and African greys.

Despite their beauty and charm, parrots face numerous challenges in captivity. “Parrots are not domesticated,” Lydia emphasizes. “They are wild animals that have been captured or bred to live in our homes, so they act like wild animals. In the wild, they have a very strong social bond and a very large social community. When we take them into our homes, it’s usually just a single bird. So then you have to become that community for them.” 

Beyond social needs, parrots are also sensitive to environmental hazards. Household items like non-stick pans, scented candles, perfumes, gas ovens, furnaces, and certain foods can pose serious risks. “A lot of people don’t realize that even mammal saliva has a streptococcus bacteria in it that’s deadly to parrots,” Lydia says. “People will say, ‘Oh, my dog loves my bird, and they never attack each other.’ But if the dog is licking the parrot, or the parrot is playing with the dog’s fur and gets its saliva in their mouth, they can get sick. There are a lot of dangers for them.”

These dangers are precisely why the Parrot Garden’s adoption program works so diligently to educate and prepare future parrot owners.

A Day in the Life of a Parrot at the Garden

Every day at the Parrot Garden is planned to ensure the well-being of its residents, typically, beginning with breakfast and medications, then moving on to toy changes and rotating birds in and out of the various aviaries. “If the birds enjoy hanging out with people, we try to get them out as much as possible,” says Lydia. “And if they don’t enjoy hanging out with people, that’s totally fine — we just give them some extra toys and enrichment. 

Enrichment comes in many forms, including music and television. Yes, the parrots have televisions and even Alexa to interact with! “We have a macaw named Matthew who only listens to Céline Dion and Whitney Houston,” Lydia reveals, “and if you try to play him anything else, he gets very upset.” 

But Matthew isn’t the only superfan in residence. Chubby, another macaw, is head over beak for Taylor Swift. There’s a cockatoo who can’t get enough of Dolly Parton. And, as it turns out, all of the parrots have an affinity for ‘Bluey.’ “It’s their favorite TV show,” Lydia laughs. “I haven’t met a single bird who doesn’t like it. ‘SpongeBob’ is usually a very close second. We put on nature documentaries, but those are usually their least favorite.”

Educating the Public and Outreach Efforts

Public education is a cornerstone of the Parrot Garden’s mission. Daily tours offer visitors a glimpse into the lives of the sanctuary’s residents and the challenges they face. They also provide educational appointments for prospective adopters. “We do not want to close off ownership for anyone, but we do want people to be realistic about owning a bird,” Lydia explains. “It’s not like owning a domesticated pet like a dog or a cat. It’s a pretty big lifestyle change to get a parrot.”

The sanctuary’s Facebook page serves as an additional resource, featuring videos, updates, and tips on parrot care. By raising awareness, the team hopes to reduce the number of parrot mills and encourage adoption.

A New Life for Cache

Among the many birds who have found refuge at the Parrot Garden, Cache’s story stands out in a big way. Cache, a Moluccan cockatoo, arrived at the sanctuary last year as part of an animal control case.

“Cache and a few other parrots were found in an RV that was abandoned in Colorado,” Lydia shares. “Unfortunately, there were rats everywhere, and the birds were loose. Thankfully, all the other birds were okay. But when Cache arrived, we discovered he had ingested foreign bodies, had a wound under his left wing that required surgery, and had seizures when stressed. He was underweight and not eating, and he was so terrified of people. If we walked into the room, he would throw himself onto the bottom of the cage and run away from us.”

Through patience and dedication, Cache’s caregivers helped him heal both physically and emotionally. Today, he eagerly approaches his caregivers for head scratches and dance sessions. 

“It has just been the most incredible transformation,” Lydia marvels. “He’s not quite yet available for adoption — we’re still waiting to make sure he’s fully cleared of his medical concerns before that, but it has been a really incredible turnaround with him.”

Supporting the Parrot Garden

The Parrot Garden relies on the generosity of supporters to continue its vital work. Donations, sponsorships, and volunteer efforts are all invaluable. Lydia tells us that even simple things like donating toys or educating others about adoption can make a huge difference. 

One of the sanctuary’s key messages is the importance of adopting rather than buying parrots. “We really ask people to please stop buying birds,” pleads Lydia. “The pet trade of birds will never stop as long as people are putting money into it.” Adopting from a rescue not only gives a bird a second chance but also helps reduce the demand for unethical breeding practices.

Whether through adoption, sponsorship, sending toys, or spreading awareness, there are plenty of great ways to support this extraordinary sanctuary, sweet Cache, and all of his feathered friends who call it home.