Nine Lives Rescue

05/23/2026

When you get the call, you answer. Kahu in action.

Our friends at Flight Club Foundation and The Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County took in an urgent surrender of 5 parrots. A Catalina Macaw, a Moluccan Cockatoo, a Solomon Island Eclectus (Ekkie) and 2 Amazons.

Needing help, Tacoma Humane contacted Flight Club. Flight Club reached out to us, and we agreed to take the Ekkie on here with us.

He’s not in very good health, and will need intensive vet care and meds. He’s also going to need some big changes in his diet, because he’s severely vitamin A deficient.

He’s in good care with our awesome vets at Evergreen Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital, but he has a long road ahead. He’ll stay here with us at least until we figure out if he’s going to be adoptable or not. Depending on his outlook, he might need to stay here permanently in sanctuary.

We don’t have a name yet, but we’re thinking either Oscar or Chuckie.
Let us know your suggestions for names!

If you want to help, we can certainly use assistance with his medical care. You can do that by donating at our website: https://ninelivesrescue.org/donate

More pictures to come!

05/22/2026

05/09/2026

Wow!!! 100!!! Happy Birthday!

05/09/2026

We love Melissa & Zorro!!! 🎉

Melissa Davis of Zorro Toys 4 Rescue & Friends has become a true friend to rescues across the country.

For another year, Melissa has stepped up to support the Rockstar Rescue Tour by generously creating and donating toys for the rescues we’ll be visiting along the way. Her support goes far beyond the tour though — Melissa consistently gives back to rescues and birds in need year-round through both donations and enrichment support.

Anyone involved in rescue knows how important enrichment is for the physical and emotional well-being of parrots, and Melissa’s handmade toys help bring much-needed stimulation, comfort, and joy to birds waiting for their forever homes.

From all of us on the Rockstar Rescue Tour Crew — thank you Melissa Davis and Zorros Toys 4 Rescue & Friends for once again helping make this mission possible.

04/19/2026

More and more research is changing how the world understands parrots—and honestly, it’s about time!🤪

A study led by Lauryn Benedict, a biology professor at the University of Northern Colorado (yay Colorado!), along with other researchers and collaborators from around the world, analyzed vocalizations from hundreds of captive parrots…

INSTEAD of studying wild birds in their natural environments, they focused on parrots living alongside humans—birds that actively hear, learn, and reproduce human speech.
Many of the birds consistently used certain sounds to refer to specific people, animals, or even themselves.

In other words… (drumroll 🥁)
Parrots don’t just mimic—they appear to use certain sounds in name-like ways to refer to individuals. Bird lovers have long suspected there’s more going on, and it’s exciting to see science exploring the complexity of parrot communication.

This is also why, in parrot care, we generally don’t recommend frequently changing a bird’s name. Not because it’s a fixed “identity label” the way humans use names, but because many parrots form strong learned associations between certain sounds and attention, reinforcement, or social interaction over time!

It is also a good reminder:
if these birds are capable of this level of social communication and recognition… their emotional and mental needs have to be just as complex.

As a Colorado-based parrot rescue, we especially love seeing research about our favorite subject (parrots) coming from our own state!

Great read. Link in comments!

04/19/2026

So grateful this fab restaurant is throwing us a “takeover” event at their Tacoma Mall store!!!! More than grateful…um, the chicken is fab…but the Mac & Cheese - SO GOOD!!!!

04/16/2026

Hey Friends & Supporters!
Part of rescue and animal welfare is making sure that people are educated about the animals they want to adopt/foster, etc.

We are starting to put together a plan to offer a Podcast and Blog for people. We would Love to hear some thoughts on topics you'd like to see/hear/read. You can feel free to comment here, or you can send email to [email protected]

We're not the end all, beat all experts, but we know lots of people who are, so we'll have guest speakers/bloggers too. :-)

No topic is off limits when it comes to the welfare of the critters!

Let's hear it!
(Pics for algorithm tax) 😎