HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! We’re already into the new year in full swing and it seems
like just yesterday that we were celebrating the new millenium. As the times change, so
does everything and the World Parrot Mission is changing (for the better) to get out and
reach more people with the reality of the intelligence and true nature of parrots.

I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get to writing a newsletter. I've completely changed
the way I'm doing things at the Mission. I am keeping an office at the same address so
that I can do my work there, but no longer am I bringing the parrots there.

Instead of sitting at the WPM in Key Largo waiting for the few people who come in on a
daily basis, the birds and I will be out and about from the Florida Keys to Ft. Lauderdale
doing educational programs for kids and groups. Our schedule is already filling up,
which tells me that it is definitely the right thing to do. If you’ve got a group, club or
school that would like an educational program, let us know and we’ll get you scheduled,
too. I bring all ten birds and have taught each of them to do something fun, so the show
is BIGGER and better.

PET EXPO:

We are hoping to be chosen as one of the nonprofit groups that will be at the Flamingo
Gardens Pet Expo on February 29. We haven’t been notified yet, but we’re hoping that
we acted before other groups (which was immediately upon receiving the application),
because it was on a first response basis. We’ll let you know as soon as we know.

The other great thing that has happened recently is the invitation to join the Ford
Championship Golf Tournament "Birdies for Charity" Event. We’re very excited about
this fantastic opportunity to raise money for our sanctuary. For every birdie that the
pros make (in the golf tournament), you can pledge as little as one penny (or make a
one time donation) and if we get up to $2500 in donations, we could win as much as
$5,000 from the South Florida Golf Foundation!

There are prizes to win if you can guess how many birdies the pros Will make this year.
Grand prize is either 4 round trip tickets to anywhere in the domestic U.S. or two spots
at the 2005 pro-am tournament to play with the pros! Last year the number of birdies
was 2003 (in 2003!). If you’re interested in helping, please checkout the website:
www.FordChampionship.com and click on Birdies for Charity. If you make a pledge, at
the bottom you must put World Parrot Mission, Inc. Bird Number 54.

I'll be out and about this week going business to business to get more pledges. It looks like we've got over $1,000 in
pledges already, so I'm gonna go for the gold!

HELP US:

If you’re not receiving this newsletter by email and you have an email address it will
help save postage if you send you email address to us at WorldParrotMissn@aol.com.

TRAGEDY:

We have had a very sad tragedy here at the World Parrot Mission. Little Rocky, the
beautiful cockatiel that was flying and regrowing his feathers was killed by Moriah, our
Hyacinth Macaw. Rocky got into Moriah’s aviary. I believe Moriah was jealous of the
way that Rocky was flying and landing on me whenever he wanted to for love and
affection. It was a truly devastating ordeal that taught me that as one person I can’t
handle more than ten birds and give them enough attention so that every one of them is
satisfied. I also am not prepared for small birds to be in the bird room with the larger
birds.

I believe once we have the free flight sanctuary and the birds can use their pent up
energy in flying, bathing, foraging, and playing they will be much happier than they are
as sedentary birds. I have made a memorial to Rocky and I will always remember his
delight in flying freely and his wonderful personality. Just thinking about him makes me
cry even now.


NEW MEMBERS:

I'd like to send a heartfelt welcome to our new members: Margo Hofeldt of Miami
Beach, Victoria Neidigh of Pa. and Judy Strickland of Ct.

BEHAVIOR: (For members only)


THANKS:

I'd like to thank member, Clark Sheen for coming to my aid during a particularly hard
time. He brought tools and worked hard and helped me split the aviary so that Moriah
could not ever get to any of the other birds.

RAFFLE WINNER!

Caitlin Leyva, a 5 year old girl from Homestead, picked out the winning ticket from our
raffle jar. The stained glass window of two macaws was won by Heather McAvoy, a new
resident of Key Largo. She was thrilled with her prize. Thanks so much to those of you
who participated, we raised approximately $500 through this raffle.

MISSION BIRDS:

The birds are getting fluffier on a daily basis. Little Gabriella, our 11 year old Umbrella
Cockatoo got her first real bath with shampoo this morning and I counted 14 new pin
feathers on her belly! It has taken an entire year to get her to stop. She is starting to
look really gorgeous. I normally don't bathe the birds in the winter because it's too easy
for them to catch cold, but she was brown instead of white, and I just couldn't stand it.
She LOVED her bath and the blow drying after put her into a very relaxed state.

Please don't bathe your bird with shampoo unless you have been taught by a
professional how to do so. You can drown your bird or make him sick if you don't know
what you're doing.

Seymour, our 19 year old Moluccan is getting his pink feathers on his belly, too, finally.
Garth, our little 5 year old Timneh African Grey has had a tough time getting through
picking, too. He does really well and then takes a step back and picks them all out. At
least he has not picked out the down feathers, so he is a fuzz ball, instead of pink and
bumpy like he was when he came to us. He now has a tail and two wings, which were
also completely plucked out when we got him. I think he's getting the idea that I love
him and will always care for him. He seems much more relaxed than before. Tsipora,
our little 3 year old Ducorps Cockatoo is very shy. Today was the first time she took a
drink from a cup for me. It must be very intimidating to be around so many big birds, but
she has a great time out in our Sea Grape Tree with them. Turbo has severely plucked
under his wings for years, as well as his outer shoulders. He's 9 years old now and
hasn't stopped yet, but we won't stop working on it!

The longer a bird is allowed to pick his feathers out, the harder it is to get them to stop.
I feel it's like getting a person to stop smoking. Sometimes, they fail, but they just have
to get back up and start over.

I am at a disadvantage also because I take the birds in already plucked. They have to
get accustomed to a new home, other birds and me taking them out to shows.

The rest of the birds are doing great. They had a blast doing our last show where there
were 35 excited and loud kids. The birds love to scream right along with them!
(Naturally!)

Well, that's all for now. Thanks again for your support of the World Parrot Mission.
Every day I feel we are closer to our goal of building a sanctuary where parrots will fly
and people will visit and be delighted with the experience.

Until next time..... birdie love to you and yours!
Jenifer Dermer
Founder and Executive Director
World Parrot Mission, Inc.
A non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation.
99150 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, Fl 33037 Ph: 305-453-1800
"Helping in the fight for parrots worldwide." www.WorldParrotMission.org