Wakefield parrot rescue races to find new premises

A pandemonium of parrots erupted into caws when a director of Nana and Papa's Nest walked into the large outbuilding to say good morning.

Development Director Stephanie Clinton knows all the parrots' personalities -- and even what makes them dance. One of her strongest bonds is with a bright blue and gold macaw named Kokomo. Each day, Clinton plays "Mah Na Mah Na", made famous by The Muppets, from the speaker of her smartphone as Kokomo bobs his head and a dance party ensues.

Clinton began volunteering with Nana and Papa's Nest after attending a pilot program for children with autism with her son. He quickly latched onto the creatures.

The 501(c)(3) nonprofit takes in numerous species of birds, ranging from large macaws to tiny conures. The birds come from various situations such as animal control calls, the owner's death and neglect cases.

"Rescue-wise, it means a lot because there's some people that have these birds and if they can't find anybody to take them, they'll just let them loose outside," Clinton said. "They can't survive."

But now the rescue faces the loss of its home -- an unassuming house on U.S. 460 near Wakefield in Sussex County -- where it started in 2017. The property sold to a new owner in late May, and the Nest's lease agreement ends Aug. 31.

The Nest is operated on a completely volunteer basis, consisting of eight directors and a dedicated group of that helps clean cages, feed birds, facilitate veterinary care and provide year-round enrichment seven days a week. The rescue houses 40 to 60 birds at any given time, so finding a new home for them has not been an easy task. If the rescue fails to secure a new facility by the end of August, the birds will be taken home by the directors and volunteers.

The nonprofit is working tirelessly to raise money for a new facility, relying on donations and adoptions for funding. Clinton said continuing to prioritize its money to ensure the best care for its flock is the first and foremost priority.

But not all birds can be adopted, including Dallas and Scoop, who will live out their lives at the Nest and require personalized care and enrichment, she said. Dallas has an inoperable tumor, so the volunteers work to keep her comfortable, while Scoop is missing his top beak due to an injury from a larger bird. For Scoop to eat, his food has to be mashed.

Running the rescue can cost up to $3,000 per month, including food, supplies and veterinary care, Clinton said.

"Parrots are more like people than any other pet in any aspect," said Jodie Owrey, director of parrot care. "They can talk ... They don't all talk, but they can talk and they can communicate better even without language than any other animal as well."

After medically retiring from the Navy in 2019, Owrey planned to begin her own parrot rescue after seeing birds continually being returned to a pet store in Virginia Beach where she was visiting a bird she planned to adopt.

"I got to talking to one of the gals there that I had befriended and was like, 'Wow, this place needs a parrot rescue.' And she said, 'We really do.' And I said, 'You know what? I think that's what I'm going to do because I've loved parrots since I was a little kid,' " Owrey said.

Owrey contacted Nana and Papa's Nest to get advice on developing a nonprofit. In 2023, the owners encouraged Owrey to come to the Nest for a day to see how they operate -- she has been volunteering ever since.

Owrey works with other directors on tasks such as scheduling veterinary visits and formulating diets catered to each bird's needs. The birds receive every day what they call "chop," a mixture of fresh vegetables and a small amount of fruit, plus healthy pellets, a custom seed mixture, various herbs that offer health benefits and, of course, fresh water switched out several times a day.

Having a parrot is life-changing, Owrey said. When they find their person, the connection can be almost instantaneous and that phenomenon is obvious during pre-adoption visits.

"We can tell you whether or not that bird's going to work out for you within the first visit," Owrey said. "And it might take a second visit if they're a shy bird and they've been through some stuff, which most of our birds have."

The Nest not only offers a temporary home for the birds, but also emphasizes community outreach.

"Really animals in general bring a lot of joy to people's hearts," Owrey said. "And every time we go to an event with our birds, everyone is so tickled because you just don't see birds all the time."

The Nest hopes to stay in Sussex County where it is welcomed by the community and local officials, and so volunteers can get to the rescue in a reasonable amount of time. But Clinton said the search has been difficult so far because of zoning laws and needing a large enough space to accommodate the flock. Clinton said the rescue is seeking 3,000 square feet of commercial space.

The Nest is a special place for many people -- Owrey among them. It has given her a sense of purpose after becoming an empty nester and struggling to find employment as a disabled veteran.

"These animals love you regardless of how much pain you're in or how little you feel you can do for them that day. That means the world to me," Owrey said. "They don't judge me. They love me for who I am."

For more information or to help, visit nanapapasnest.org.