What Is Birdline Parrot Rescue and How Does Its Parrot Rehoming Work?

Birdline Parrot Rescue is a registered UK charity that rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes parrots across England, Scotland and Wales. It runs entirely on a voluntary basis and places birds with Birdline members as long-term foster homes rather than selling them. If you want to offer a home to a parrot, apply through its rehoming process and join as a member; if you need to surrender a bird, use its dedicated surrender route. The charity is funded through a membership scheme, foster fees, donations and events.

Who Birdline is and what it does

Birdline describes itself as the UK's largest parrot and exotic bird charity. Its stated mission has two parts:

• Rescue and rehoming — providing a refuge for orphaned, unwanted, found and injured parrots or parakeets, then finding loving, long-term foster homes with Birdline members.
• Welfare and education — raising standards of parrot care nationwide through advice, education and resources on diet, health, enrichment and household hazards, plus events and volunteering.

The organisation says it has re-homed thousands of birds across the UK. It is a registered charity and is run entirely by volunteers.

How the foster/rehome model works

The central message on Birdline's site is "Don't buy, foster!" The reasoning given is that parrots average five to seven homes in a lifetime, and offering a foster home through Birdline helps stop that cycle.

Key features of the model, as described on the site:

Because funding comes partly from foster fees and membership, you should expect to join the scheme and contribute rather than simply collect a free bird. The site does not publish fee amounts or membership prices, so ask the rehoming team directly for current terms before committing.

Applying for a bird: the process

Birdline's site lists a "Rehoming Process" and a "How to Apply for a Bird" page under its "Apply for a bird" section. The practical steps are:

1. Join Birdline as a member. Membership is the route through which foster homes are arranged.
2. Review the rehoming process and application guidance on the charity's site so you understand what a foster placement involves.
3. Submit an application for a bird through the rehoming team.
4. Work with the rehoming team to find a suitable match — the site features individual birds "looking for a new home," such as Chester & Shamus, Eric, Billy & Abby, and Blazie, Rory & Pixel.
5. Prepare your home using Birdline's welfare guidance on aviaries, diet, health, enrichment and household hazards before the bird arrives.

Verification: a successful application should end with an agreed foster placement arranged by the rehoming team. If you are unsure where you stand, ask the team for confirmation rather than assuming a timeline.

Common sticking points: membership is a prerequisite, so an application without it will not progress; and because the charity is volunteer-run, responses and placements may take time.

Surrendering a bird or planning ahead

If you can no longer keep a bird, Birdline provides a "Surrender a Bird" route, alongside guidance on "Future Planning for your bird" — useful if you want to make arrangements for a parrot's care in advance. The site also covers surrendering your bird as a distinct topic, so start there to understand what information the charity needs and what happens to the bird.

Other ways to get involved

Beyond fostering, the site lists several support routes:

• Join as a member
• Donate or sponsor a bird
• Volunteer — there is a volunteer application form
• Leave a bequest
• Use the welfare resources — a directory of avian vets, plus guidance on health and wellbeing, aviaries and wild birds

Is it right for you?

Birdline suits people who want to give a home to a parrot in need and are willing to become members and commit to a long-term foster arrangement, accepting that the charity is volunteer-run and fee-supported. It is not a route to buying a bird, and the site gives no indication of free placements. If you want a specific species or a quick turnaround, check with the rehoming team first — the site's bird listings and application pages are the place to start.