It is getting spring time...

Some of our/your FIDs/birds will be molting ... and I remembered this....

Copied pertanant info for use .... and trying to spread the word....

Every little bit helps... to perserve traditions and help wild birds..

I have even sent my tiel feathers... and they are glad to recieve each and every feather...

Long feathers can be mailed in poster/mailing tubes....

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Native American Indians use feathers for their traditional religious ceremonies and that contributes to the demand for parrot feathers which is one reason parrots are so cruelly smuggled. Feathers from all species are useful but Macaw feathers are especially desired by the American Indians. Dr. Reyman said that since this project has been giving feathers to the Native American Indians (free of charge) that the price for a center macaw feather has gone down from $75 to about $25. But the demand for these feathers is still there. They can even take feathers with broken shafts and cut feathers as shown on his website and all feathers over an inch in size can be put to good use. So please save them all, even cut wing feather feathers! They can also use turkey feathers, for those of you out there that know turkey hunters.

If you know of anyone that has a parrot, please spread the word. Feathers can be mailed to:

Dr. Jonathan E. Reyman
Illinois State Museum Research & Collections Center
1011 East Ash Street
Springfield, IL 62703-3535
(217) 785-0069
reyman@MUSEUM.STATE.IL.US

Many people toss away their feathers because they don't know what to do with them. By doing this, we can help to keep the wild parrots in their native lands where they belong. (from http://www.wingsofhope-nj.com/feathers.html)

http://www.wingwise.com/feather.htm

I knew that. Have been saving feathers for over a year now to do just that. Now, if I can keep my grandaughter from snatching one here and there, I will be sending them when I get home.

I had no idea about this, quite by accident I came across this post. I will save next year, this seasons moult is finished for the most part already.

I keep an envelope by the fids (always someone moulting /shedding); sent along a batch from the tiels and budgies, which are now a ceremonial fan in New Mexico. How cool is that?

I am moving this to Parrot Chatter as I believe it will receive more views there.

Some one asked about the places to send feathers... in a thread about molting recently....

So I am bumping this info up....

Thanks Suz!!

That was me! Thanks Suz!

It seems I cant send feathers it will be contravening all sort of imports things.

That's fantastic and I will send all the ones I do not use myself.

I just wanted to post this idea (let me know if you want me to start this in a different thread). Dr. O gave me a fantastic gift a couple of months ago. She went out and bought one of those wreaths with the crystal cubes on it (doesn't matter, any wreath will do). She had my husband, Freddie steal all of my feathers from the house. I keep the small ones in the cupboard and the long ones in a vase on top of the fridge. She used a hot glue gun and glued all the feathers onto the wreath all fanning slightly to the right all the way around the wreath and then used all of my macaw's tail feathers to make a tip at the bottom. She even stuck one of her turkey's tail feathers in there to remind me of her. I think the wreath is beautiful. It's a piece of work with all of my birds. Dr. O is one of my best friends and it was a gift from her and I think of her everytime I look at it. It also hangs on the front door of my house. I see it everytime I come home and it's a showpiece on the front of my house without advertising that I have parrots.

This would be a fantastic gift to give to a parrot lover. It would be a fantastic gift to give to anyone because it's so beautiful. Also, you can continue to add to it through each molt.