I take bad birds ... and I give them a life'

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS — John and Pamela Bussert’s yard is scattered with sunflower seeds. Perches are set up around their house and 55 birds screech around the clock.

The couple keeps what they call a parrot rescue in their yard north of DeFuniak Springs. They take in birds from across the country that are improperly cared for, abandoned or are in need of training and love.

“I take bad birds, birds no one can handle, and I give them a life,” John said while walking through his bird sanctuary, a small building overflowing with cages.

The Busserts’ rescue is filled with parrots of all shapes and sizes — each with a back story and a personality that John and Pamela happily share with anyone who visits.

One bird greets them every morning with “How’s your coffee?” and an “Mmmm.” Another pecks at its cage until it gets a taste of whatever John or Pamela is eating.

John started off looking for a way to make good money in the early 1980s, and thought breeding exotic birds would be an exciting career. Not long into it, though, he saw the side of the business in which birds are not cared for and are abandoned long before their time is up.

“The average bird lives less than five years when they should be living 80 or 90 years,” John said. “I decided I wanted to change that about 18 years ago. I’ve been keeping birds ever since.”

Continued:  http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local-news/i-take-bad-birds-and-i-give-them-a-life-slideshow-1.31675