Little Beaks

Little Beaks � Sanctuary for small able and special needs birds
� Helping birds and promoting pet bird welfare
(2)

I want to talk about social media and accessibility.For context: beside running the sanctuary, my day job involves acces...
18/09/2025

I want to talk about social media and accessibility.

For context: beside running the sanctuary, my day job involves accessibility testing. While I'm fortunate enough to have near full hearing and vision, others aren't so lucky.

Accessibility often gets overlooked on social media, making it harder for people to engage with content. While we make it a priority to include visual descriptions, we seem to be one of the few.

With time and resource restraints causing many people to turn to AI to help generate content, unfortunately this is a bit if a backward step for accessibility.

AI tools like ChatGPT love adding emojis - even as bullet points. That might look fun, but here’s why it creates barriers:

Screen readers don’t read emojis as bullets. Instead of a quick pause, you get: 'glowing star, glowing star, glowing star'.

Emojis render differently across devices. Your tidy 'check mark' might look messy elsewhere.

Bullets are neutral. Emojis carry tone, which can confuse meaning.

Lists are meant to be scannable. Emoji bullets slow people down, especially for those with cognitive or visual processing challenges.

Why everyone should care about accessibility:

It widens your reach (supporters, adopters, customers, readers).

It keeps your mission consistent - caring for the vulnerable means all communities.

It boosts engagement, which helps your content get seen.

How to improve accessibility:

Use proper bullets, dashes, or numbering.

If you use emojis, keep them minimal and place them at the end of a sentence for tone - never as structure.
Always make sure the meaning is clear in text, not just visuals.

Add accessibility descriptions (alt-text or captions) for every image and video. We’ve had numerous messages from people who rely on them - it’s the difference between being able to enjoy our content or being shut out entirely.

Accessibility isn’t about perfection - it’s about making sure everyone can engage with your content and mission.

Image Description: Two weiros sit on a branch inside an aviary. On the left is a pale grey cockatiel with a soft, almost white face. On the right is a yellow-crested cockatiel with orange cheek patches, gently preening the other bird’s head. The background is wire mesh with blurred greenery beyond. In the bottom corner is the Little Beaks logo. Over a teal banner the words 'Accessibility matters' are written in cream text.

18/09/2025

Nothing says relaxation like being surrounded by your flock, and having someone preen that one spot you just can’t reach.

Zebra finches may be tiny, but their bonds are huge. These little guys huddle together for warmth, comfort, and companionship.

Flock life isn’t just about survival, it’s about joy too.

And the ultimate question... which are cuter: finch or budgie preens? 😊

video description: three zebra finches huddle close together on a gum branch, eyes partly closed. One is preening another while the third is resting. Partway through another finch lands on a branch in front of them slightly covering the view, before flying away again.

This is incredible 🥹🙌Thank you all involved World Animal Protection US
18/09/2025

This is incredible 🥹🙌
Thank you all involved
World Animal Protection US

17/09/2025

Extreme budgie cuteness, incoming.

Imagine a lifetime stuck in a cage with just a couple of toys - if lucky.

Or worse, being bred and discarded once no longer 'useful'.

That’s the reality for so many of the birds we take in.

Which is why nothing beats the moment a rescued bird first steps into their new aviary, discovering grass, soil, and the joy of foraging, often for the very first time.

These little scenes make every challenge of rescue worth it.

video description: close up of a blue male budgie on the floor of aviary, clutching a thin branch with one claw while pecking at bits of grass on the ground, slightly wet from rain. He wanders a little, finding good bits, his neck stretching out while exploring. Camera pans briefly to a white budgie nearby also foraging. There's a brief bit of underfluff from blue boy as he continues wandering.

So… all our videos are now reels.According to this update that just popped up, Facebook is automatically posting all vid...
17/09/2025

So… all our videos are now reels.

According to this update that just popped up, Facebook is automatically posting all videos as reels now.

For the most part, I’ve avoided reels - they’ve been harder to edit (thanks to an app bug) and difficult for accessibility.

Hoping they’ve actually thought of this and solved some of the issues. Fingers crossed there’s no big difference in how our posts look or work going forward, but we’ll see.

If anyone notices issues, please let me know.

image description: Facebook notice titled “Videos are now shared as reels.” A purple clapperboard graphic is shown. Text explains that all video posts are now Reels, settings stay the same, Reels can be longer, monetisation continues, and insights are updated.

16/09/2025

Ever seen pure joy in a water dish?

The finches wasted no time diving in after a fresh water change.

Feather care, cooling off, or just fun... a splash around is always top of their list.

video description: Several finches hop into a shallow ceramic water dish on the aviary ground, fluttering and splashing as others perch around the rim.

Our favourite kind of happy new beginning! Good job RSPCA WA and to the adopting family 🫶
16/09/2025

Our favourite kind of happy new beginning!

Good job RSPCA WA and to the adopting family 🫶

16/09/2025

Not budgies. Not weiros. Tonight it’s the parrots of Beeperville.

Aka the gorgeous grass parrots.

They’re some of the most peaceful little characters here - quiet, steady, and always enjoying a good ground forage. Which is why they reside in Beeperville with the finch flock, instead of with the other parrots.

We probably don't feature these cuties often enough 😊

video description: two grass parrots - one in the foreground more fluoro green with light blue on the wings; one just behind a darker green with red on their back, a hint of blue on their wings and a lighter green front - are foraging through some grass on an aviary ground, partially hidden by a couple of thin branches.

16/09/2025

Breakfast or bath? These guys can’t decide…

Some weiros went straight for the food dish, while others spread their wings and soaked up the rain.

Tough choices when both are so tempting.

(And don’t worry, there are plenty of other dishes around.)

video description: a blue ceramic food dish hangs in the foreground filled with shredded vegies. Weiros line the edges, tucking in. In the background, more weiros and budgies are on branches enjoying the rain, some with wings out.

14/09/2025

For anyone who was worried about the weiros not getting a go at the corn...

They share surprisingly well - the weiros generally hold back a bit if more budgies rush in, depending on the food and where it is.

Says a bit 😅

video description: a cob of corn rests on the aviary ground close to the camera with a few weiros having a go at it (plus a budgie). One weiro is facing away from the camera. When they realise the camera is there, focus is off the corn and onto the usual performance. Others in the background have their priorities right, sticking with the corn.

Looking back through some old files and found this one, circa 2021... a moment I'm sure many could relate to 😅Fun fact: ...
14/09/2025

Looking back through some old files and found this one, circa 2021... a moment I'm sure many could relate to 😅

Fun fact: shiny jewellery is irresistible to birds… which is why I eventually stopped wearing earrings altogether. Safer for them, and safer for my ears 😝

Image Description: A female with dark hair pulled back is smiling with a playful expression while a pale yellow weiro with orange cheek patches perches on her shoulder. The bird is stretching to nibble at a small piercing in the person’s upper ear, while she is tilting her head away a bit to avoid the bite.

14/09/2025

The finch jump-a-thon is on!

How cute are these little guys?!

Unlike budgies and weiros, finches don’t waddle along the ground. They move with quick little jumps, pausing to peck seeds or grass heads as they forage.

It’s not just quirky - it’s built into their design:
- Their tiny size and lightweight bodies make hopping faster than waddling.
- Staying light on their feet lets them dart away if startled.
- In the wild, hopping helps them cover ground quickly while still grabbing seeds.

And here’s one of the most important parts: because finches don’t climb, their main exercise comes from flying and jumping. That’s a big reason why small cages are never enough - they need wide spaces to move and thrive.

video description: on the ground of the finch aviary resting on soil is a mix of weeds and wintergrass. Several finches are making small jumps around and nibbling at different bits of grass. At one point, a grass parrot waddles in and joins the fun.

Address

Perth, WA

Website

http://www.littlebeaks.org/

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