Brainy birds – a place of safety

Ms Dee Hendricks is a person committed to the well-being of birds.

Her commitment to birds led to the creation of Brainy Birds, a registered bird rescue and rehabilitation centre.

The centre focuses on the rehabilitation of abused birds and the re-homing of birds.

“I’ve always wanted to help birds. The first time I helped a bird was when I was 14,” said Ms Hendricks

Ms Hendricks said throughout her life she always assisted birds, it was something natural for her to do.

Before the organisation moved to Van Tonder Road in Edenvale, Brainy Birds was run out of Ms Hendricks’ home.

Ms Hendricks said she moved the centre because of space limitations at her home.

At that time she was doing everything out of her own pocket and using the available space at her home.

In 2015 Ms Hendricks decided to become a registered rescue centre.

She said costs were beginning to mount and as a registered centre she could host fundraising events.

To run the centre for a month costs R30 000.

She said additional costs can vary, depending on the number of birds brought to the centre.

“Each bird that gets brought in needs a veterinary check-up and a blood test, which can cost R450,” said Ms Hendricks.

“Birds do not make good pets, they are not cuddly and they bite. Birds must be left in the wild where they belong,” said Ms Hendricks.

She said when a bird starts acting out people do not know what to do.

According to her, this is when abuse begins.

Over the years Ms Hendricks said she has seen multiple types of abuse inflicted on birds.

Bird abuse includes:

•  Divorcing the bird from the family, putting the bird in isolation.
•  Hitting the bird when it acts out and feeding it the incorrect diet.

“Birds are social animals, they need companionship. By isolating the bird you are not giving it attention,” said Ms Hendricks.

She said if birds do not receive attention they will begin plucking their own feathers and go to the extreme of self mutilation to receive attention.

“Many birds brought into the centre are aggressive as a result of the abuse,” said Ms Hendricks.

Unlike dogs, Ms Hendrick believes that birds cannot be domesticated.

“A bird will choose a person to bond with and will do anything to be with that person,” said Ms Hendricks.

She said a bird’s decision can change once it has reached sexual maturity.

“A person may buy a bird and the relationship between them will be fine until one day when the bird decides to choose another person as its favourite,” said Ms Hendricks.

According to Ms Hendricks, it is often the change after sexual maturity which sees the start of the abuse.

If a bird changes and becomes too aggressive, Ms Hendricks said owners will get rid of the bird as soon as possible.

She said over December alone 16 birds were abandoned in boxes on the pavement in front of the centre.

Before any rehabilitation can take place Ms Hendricks needs to obtain the trust of the bird.

She said the longest it has taken her to earn a bird’s trust was seven years.

The shortest time was eight months.

Besides rehabilitating birds, the centre allows community members to adopt some of the rescue birds.

Ms Hendricks said before a community member can adopt a bird they need to work at the centre.

By working at the centre individuals will learn what it takes to look after birds.

It will also give a bird the opportunity to bond with a person.

“You don’t choose the bird, it chooses you,” said Ms Hendricks.

She said it is then up to the person to learn as much about the bird as they can before they are considered for adoption.

Birds which have a disability or which have been severely abused will not be up for adoption.

In order to help cover some of the monthly costs Ms Hendricks said the centre has become as sustainable as possible.

The centre currently makes use of solar power, gas and wind turbines.

Ms Hendricks offers clippings for birds and allows for them to be boarded at the centre when there is available space.

Vegetables used to feed the birds are grown at the centre in a vegetable patch.

Ms Hendricks said by feeding the birds fresh produce their health also improves.

“Feeding birds sunflower seeds their whole life is like giving a two-year-old child a slab of chocolate at every meal,” said Ms Hendricks.

Another way the centre generates funds is through jumble sales and educational talks about birds.

“The biggest problem today is that people do not have enough information when they get a bird as a pet and when the bird changes the people don’t understand the psychology of the bird and want to get rid of it,” said Ms Hendricks.

Ms Hendricks said the centre is not open to the public and is open by appointment only.

Contact Ms Hendricks on 079 426 5527.