STAR - St Louis Avian Rescue

When people think of an animal rescue, they usually think in terms of dogs and cats. But did you know that birds are some of the most rehomed pets? The need for parrot rescue in our region continues to rise. We are working diligently to meet the increasing demand by strengthening our organization, expanding our reach, and growing our capacity, but we need your help.

STAR – St. Louis Avian Rescue is the only 501c3 parrot rescue in the region. We’ve been serving the greater St. Louis and surrounding communities since 2004, helping to find new homes for companion parrots who often outlive their owners. STAR is top-rated by Great Nonprofits and has Platinum level transparency on GuideStar. We are 100 percent volunteer-run.

We are funded solely by donations and adoption fees, which is why we need contributions to continue our mission to improve and enrich the lives of parrots. Together, we can make a big impact!

We Need YOU! - Give STL Day is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we need your help to continue our mission of helping parrots in need. Donations allow STAR to provide the highest medical care to the birds in our program, in addition to providing the supplies that fosters need to properly care for our birds. This includes cages, toys, food, and so much more.

More about STAR:

How do birds end up with STAR?

Loss of home, death, allergies, and incompatibility with family members are some of the most common reasons why birds are surrendered. STAR also partners with other rescues and animal control agencies to provide support and accept transfers of parrots as needed.

Rehabilitative Fostering – What’s that?

One of the most important things we do is provide "rehabilitative fostering." STAR does not have a brick-and-mortar facility like many animal shelters. Our birds are placed into a home where they become part of a family. Fosters work with each bird on their specific needs to prepare them for adoption. It's important that we keep the bird-to-human ratio low, so that each bird gets the attention they deserve. Sure, we could place 10 birds in a foster home, but we don't. The quality-of-care matters. While in foster care, STAR ensures all birds are provided excellent veterinary care, are safely transitioned to a healthy diet (when necessary) and are provided a safe and enriching environment while preparing them for their future adoptive home.

They're in foster care – What's next? – Adoption!

STAR’s end goal is to place all birds entering our program into permanent adoptive homes where each bird may thrive. We never adopt birds on site; instead, we use a thorough application and review process that includes an online adoption application, e-mail interviews, vet and (when applicable) landlord checks, and a home visit before a meet & greet with a potential adopter is scheduled. The number of required meetings varies depending on the species and temperament of the bird. Parrots, just like people, are individuals, and their personalities, traits, and behaviors are taken into consideration when choosing a home for them. Once a bird has been determined to be a good fit, but before the adoption is finalized, STAR verifies that a proper cage has been obtained and that it is set up appropriately. We believe this thorough and structured process contributes to the success of the adoption, and, ultimately, the happiness of the bird.

What else does STAR do?

Education! Without education more birds will continue to be relinquished. Bringing parrots into our homes is a serious and significant decision. Parrots live a long time, and they require certain lifestyle changes to accommodate them. We continually strive to expand our educational program to reach as many people as possible and help parrots keep happy, healthy homes. With this in mind, we provide free parrot care classes throughout the year and present at local schools about the realities of bird care and rescue. We also attend community events to raise awareness surrounding proper parrot care, the need for parrot rescues, and the services we offer. Using educational social media posts, educational resources on our website, etc., STAR can expand our reach outside of the St. Louis area. We are also working to develop additional post-adoption resources for our adopters and the public.