Calgary Parrot Club brings birds to Airdrie care home

Exotic birds are not a common sight in Alberta, but dozens of residents of the Airdrie Care community got a chance to get up close and personal with a group of colorful parrots on Sunday.

“What we like to do with our members is we like to visit seniors' homes,” said Brian Ford, vice president of the Calgary Parrot Club.

Ford and the club's colleagues brought in a variety of tropical birds for residents to admire and interact with, from kiwis to tiny pineapple conures to a Moluccan cockatoo named Max, who has become quite the social media influencer.

“It's a lot of fun to participate in events like this,” says Nicole Hankel, Max's “mom.”

“It's good for Max to see other birds, visit people and make new friends.”

Recreational therapist Cindy Ward says she's seen the Calgary Parrot Club visit other nursing homes and thought bringing birds to residents of Airdrie Care Community would make a lasting impression.

“Sometimes residents come in who wouldn't come for anything else,” Ward said.

“Definitely a unique experience. Lots of laughs, lots of laughs.”

While these trips are fun and educational for residents, they are also beneficial for the birds.

“Birds are not domesticated,” explains Heidi Comnick with the Calgary Parrot Club. “You have to interact with them to tame them, and interacting with people they don't know helps create a better bird all around.”

The Calgary Parrot Club will visit Airdrie Care Community on Sunday, May 5, 2024.One of Ford's favorite parts of these trips is seeing the smiles on the residents' faces.

“For many of them, it's their first time holding a parrot, and you often come here and they've had birds in their lives and they're excited to see parrots.”

The Calgary Parrot Club has about 65 members and they hold monthly meetings.

The Calgary Parrot Club will visit Airdrie Care Community on Sunday, May 5, 2024.Anyone interested in learning more about the club and visiting the retirement home can visit calgaryparrotclub.ca or email them at [email protected].