New neighbors

EAST COUNTY — Debbie Huckaby’s houseguests wake up with the sunrise, constantly need attention and rarely stop talking.

And she always has to pick up the bill for dinner.

But she still loves the 130 species of birds, such as cockatoos, cockatiels, macaws and quaker parrots she houses at Birds of Paradise Sanctuary & Rescue.

“It makes for a noisy dinner table, that’s for sure,” Huckaby said.

Huckaby is the founder and executive director of the sanctuary, and she and her feathered friends are hatching a new home in East County.

On Dec. 1, Huckaby purchased a 6.5-acre tree farm off Waterline Road for $325,000. She’s relocating her nonprofit from Bayshore Road in Palmetto to the local property.

East County residents will soon have their first facility that provides shelter for injured, abandoned or surrendered birds. Birds confiscated from hoarding situations are also welcome.

Currently, the acreage houses 20 special-needs birds. But by the end of February, Huckaby plans to have all the birds moved from the previous location.

And she’s on a time crunch.

Huckaby hopes to take in 100 birds from Myakka’s bird rescue, Two Feathers, because the 25-year rescue is closing in March.

“I need to fit all my birds and am hoping to fit all of those birds, too,” Huckaby said. “It’s going to be crazy these next few weeks.”

The tropical feel of the tree farm sparked Huckaby’s interest in East County.

Huckaby sees the transition as a fresh start in a growing area.

“This seems more fitting for a bird sanctuary than in the middle of a residential area, like where we were,” Huckaby said. “More people will enjoy coming out here.”

A little slice of freedom
The property features a house, which Huckaby is moving into with her daughter, Brandi Campbell. Her father, Joe Hendricks, also lives on site.

Living on site was an important feature for Huckaby. Previously, she lived in Parrish and her former shelter was located in Palmetto.

“You need to have someone on sight for the birds in case of an emergency,” Huckaby said.

Huckaby’s land also houses the makings of four aviaries.

The wire structures span 16-by-35 feet in diameter, or 20-feet-by-35-feet, depending on the size of its occupants. The spacious layout gives birds room to fly and play.

“These are going to be beautiful,” Huckaby said. “Each (aviary) is going to be a little slice of freedom for these birds.”

Huckaby hopes to have all 16 aviaries assembled and ready for new residents by mid-summer.

A donated doublewide trailer will serve as an adoption center, which some of the rescue’s 10 volunteers will run.

The volunteers are relocating with Huckaby to East County once the Palmetto sanctuary closes.

An old barn will become Santa’s workshop for bird toys. Huckaby and her volunteers will help make toys for the birds, which can destroy toys in 30 minutes.

Huckaby has a plethora of ideas she hopes to execute in East County.

She plans to eventually offer guided tours for the public and children in East County schools. Tours will help educate the children on birds and how to best care for them at home.

The nonprofit’s founder also plans to recruit veterans who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to help build toys in the workshop.

Soon, Huckaby plans to deepen her roots in East County through fundraising events.

Currently, she funds the project through donations she receives in response to Facebook postings. Her daughter also works full time to help keep the project going.

So far, Huckaby has afforded the $4,000 per month it costs to provide the necessities through donations and her family’s out-of-pocket expenses. But it will take more to create a sustainable organization, and Huckaby said she hopes fundraising events will help cement the sanctuary in the area.

“We want to be more involved in the community,” Huckaby said. “I want to show people what we’re doing and who benefits from their help.”

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].

Interested in Birds of Paradise Sanctuary & Rescue?

Those interested in more information, volunteering or donation possibilities, contact Birds of Paradise Sanctuary and Rescue Founder and Executive Director Debbie Huckaby at (727) 366-9997.

Bird bits
Birds mate for life.

And they need a well-balanced diet. Packages of seeds found in pet and department stores aren’t healthy for birds though, according to Birds of Paradise Sanctuary and Rescue Founder and Executive Director Debbie Huckaby. The animals love pasta, vegetables and fruits, and Huckaby says they are much better foods for your feathered pets.

Another fact: Parrots often live in seven to 10 different homes throughout their lifespan of 40 to 90 years.

— Amanda Sebastiano