High Desert Bird Club

The High Desert Bird Club of New Mexico is dedicated to education in the best care, keeping, maintenance, and breeding of caged birds. One of our main goals is to provide rescue, adoption, foster care, and rehoming for caged birds in need. If you have a bird you can no longer care for, or would like to adopt a bird in need of a home, or maybe foster a bird that needs a home until it can be rehomed, you're in the right place.

The following information describes our process for pet bird rescue, foster and adoption. Also included on this webpage are links for forms to surrender a bird to HDBC, provide information about a surrendered bird, and an application to foster or adopt a bird.

Bird Surrender, Rescue, and Intake
1. Call the HDBC Bird Rescue hotline at (505) 554-0804.
2. Provide information to the person answering the hotline regarding how many birds, the type of birds, and situation concerning why the birds are being surrendered.
3. If you wish to surrender a bird, please complete the Bird Surrender Form and the Donated Bird Questionnaire.
4. An appointment is made with you for two HDBC members to receive the bird(s).
5. A visual physical exam of each bird is done at the time of intake.
6. A vet check of the bird(s) is done within 7 days unless the in-home assessment suggests that the bird may be ill. In case of visual signs of illness, the bird(s) is vet checked on an emergency basis.
7. All birds are tested for Chlamydia and a CBC (Complete Blood Count). Other tests may be done as needed on a case-by-case basis.
8. A weight check is done prior to placing the bird(s) in foster care.
9. All birds are placed in a foster home and quarantined for six-weeks prior to adoption.

Bird Foster Care
Bird foster homes play a critical role in the HDBC Bird Rescue Program. Being a foster parent helps birds in need. Some foster parents adopt the birds they are fostering, others just provide a safe, temporary home until a permanent home can be found. Both roles are essential to helping birds in need of a new home.
The following information includes requirements and details for becoming a foster parent for a HDBC bird rescue.
1. A basic bird care class is required for all foster parents and potential adoptive parents. Classes are approximately 2 hours in length and offered on a quarterly basis. Class schedule will be posted on the HDBC website.
2. After the class is completed, the foster home is visited at time of placement and after 30 days to see how the bird is settling in.
3. Except for emergencies, contact Sandi Brennan, HDBC President and Bird Rescue Committee Chairperson, prior to any vet visit for a foster bird.
4. Foster parents with birds are required to check in weekly with a bird rescue committee member to give a status or progress report. Contact may be done by phone or email. Contact information is provided at the time the foster bird is placed.
5. Bird food and bird toys are provided by the foster parent. HDBC does not reimburse for these expenses. When bird food or toys are donated to HDBC for the rescue program, these items will be shared among the foster homes as appropriate.
6. All foster birds must be quarantined for six weeks beginning at intake.
If you’d like to help rescue birds, but are unable to be a foster parent, we can always use help with acquiring and storing cages, bird toys and bird food. Every bit helps.

Bird Adoption
1. Birds currently available and soon-to-be available for adoption are announced on our HDBC website and in our newsletter, Birdy Bytes.
2. HDBC membership is required to adopt a bird. HDBC membership fee is prorated in accordance with HDBC membership policy.
3. No application fee is required.
4. Adoption fee for each bird is the cost of its vet care and medication. Donations in addition to this cost are voluntary and always welcome.
5. Complete the Bird Adoption questionnaire.
6. Submit the completed questionnaire to the HDBC P.O. Box 67855, Albuquerque, NM 87193, or a Bird Rescue Committee member at least one week prior to the next HDBC monthly meeting for review.
7. Completion of the basic bird care class is required. A bird may be adopted prior to completing this class with the agreement to enroll and complete the next available basic bird care class.
8. After the proposed adoptive person or family has met the above criteria, a home visit is made to see where the bird will be kept.
9. The bird is then be delivered by a Bird Rescue Committee member and placed in its new home.
10. Bird(s) are fostered for 30 days. After 30-days have elapsed and the bird and the adopter are happy together, the adoption is finalized by signing of the final adoption documents.
11. Finalizing the adoption requires the following:
a. Signed agreement to release HDBC from any further responsibility for the bird(s).
b. Agreement to return the bird(s) to HDBC if they can no longer be kept by the adopter.

For more information, you can email us at or e-mail BirdRescue@HighDesertBirdClub.org
or call our Bird Rescue Hotline at (505) 554-0804. Thank you.

Bird Rescue/Foster/Adoption Program Policy

I. Donated Bird Questionaire
II. Bird Surrender Form
III. Adoption/Foster Application
IV. Birds available for Adoption