Welcome Wings Aviary

27/12/2022

Today is both a sad day, and a happy one.

My heart hurts, but what will help it heal is knowing that my aviary finds the right hands -- someone excited about the genetics I have here and who wants to continue to build upon the foundation of what my mother and I have started.

This is the final post that will appear on this page. If you are a breeder, or looking to gets started in breeding, please reply to the ad or PM me directly as Elaine Welbourn.

In an effort to keep organized, ONLY replies to the Kijiji ad or PMs to Elaine Welbourn will receive a reply, thank you for understanding, and thank you for supporting me through 7 years of breeding and a lifetime of loving birds.

Aviary Closing! This aviary has been in my family for more than 15 years. It was run by my mother until she passed away in 2015, at which point I took it on in her memory. As she always said -- "life turns corners" and some changes have come up in mine. Although it was not an easy decision I am look...

09/09/2022

"Life Turns Corners"

It was my mother's favourite saying, and now is one of mine, too.
Sadly, some corners are tougher than others, and this is one of the hardest for me.

With the unwavering support of my father, we together have made the difficult decision to close Welcome Wings, the bird breeding program which I have run for over 7 years in honour of my mother's legacy.

When I think back over these years I am so incredibly proud of the 250+ baby parrots I have raised by hand and lovingly placed with new families.

Our birds have gone to homes as close as a few streets away, and as far as Montreal, Vancouver, Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Moncton and beyond. Thinking about the reach our birds have had and the joy they've brought to families across the country...I can only hope my mother would have been as proud as I am.

This is the end of a beautiful chapter, but it's a book I'm definitely not finished writing. Birds will always have a place in my life, and, well, life turns corners.

If you are a breeder and looking to add some beautiful disease-tested pairs to your program please reach out. I'll also be selling some cages, brooders ect.

23/07/2022

It’s been a minute since our last post 🙈 but we’re still here and busy as ever! Currently raising 10 Green Cheeked Conure chicks (waiting list folks check your email on Monday as several of you will be contacted!) and just did a mini-renovation in iur main breeding space. Busy, busy, busy!

18/06/2022

It is with great sadness that I announce the closing of The Flock Shop, our online bird supply store.

This does not effect Welcome Wings Aviary — quite the opposite, actually, as part of the decision to close The Flock Shop came because of exciting new developments in the aviary that need my full attention and time.

These are our final Grapevine Playstands available for purchase. Prices are in each photo’s description. Once these are gone…well…that will be that. If you’ve been thinking about our playstands this is your chance to own one!

Shipping is available at the buyer’s expense. Sorry, no flat-rate…an exact quote from Canada Post will be provided to the buyer’s address.

If you are interested in a playstand please comment on the photo quickly as there is only one of each design.

18/06/2022

It is with great sadness that I announce the closing of The Flock Shop, our online bird supply store.

This does not effect Welcome Wings Aviary — quite the opposite, actually, as part of the decision to close The Flock Shop came because of exciting new developments in the aviary that need my full attention and time.

These are our final Grapevine Swings, available for purchase. Prices and dimensions are in each photo’s description. Once these are gone…well…that will be that. If you’ve been thinking about our swings this is your chance to own one!

Shipping is available at the buyer’s expense. Sorry, no flat-rate…an exact quote from Canada Post will be provided to the buyer’s address.

If you are interested in a swing please comment on the photo quickly as there is only one of each design.

19/05/2022

Two little gems are at the airport today for their big journies home! One is heading West and the other East! Always bittersweet but I know they’re in great hands with WestJet!

17/05/2022

Looking for someone special to join your family? You might want to check this webpage!

http://welcomewings.ca/available-birds-for-sale/

This page was last updated on: May 17 , 2022 CURRENTLY AVAILABLE: The above babies are 10 weeks old, fully weaned and both ready for their new homes! Both are hand raised Turquoise Green Cheeked Conure females. They are $500+HST each. If you are interested in either of these fun gals please reach ou...

17/05/2022

After bath time came playtime for our 10-week-old Green Cheeked Conure babies! They had a blast exploring the grapevine playstand and sampling fresh chop. I even busted out the good camera to capture their wet little faces!

09/05/2022

Playtime and snack time for these youngsters who will head to their new homes this week!

09/05/2022

Good morning!!!

03/05/2022

Do you have a "happy hut", "fabric tent" or "snuggle house" in your bird's cage? You need to read this!!

https://birdtricksstore.com/blogs/birdtricks-blog/the-most-dangerous-parrot-cage-accessory?_pos=1&_sid=4005739e0&_ss=r&redirect_mongo_id=626ec40b3308a100240d6c39&utm_source=Springbot&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=626ec40b3308a100240d6c38

Parrot tents (happy huts) have been responsible for more avian injuries and deaths than any other product type sold. They are, without a doubt, the single most...

28/04/2022

The opportunity to shower and/or bathe is important for your pet bird's health and overall well-being! 💦

Do you know why??? 🧐

• Showers help to clean feathers (reducing dust/dander that may enter the bird's lung AND your household!).

• Bathing is a natural behaviour birds experience regularly in the wild. Showers provide important mental stimulation that mimics this routine!

• Shower time offers an opportunity for human interaction and bonding!

• Showers encourage preening behaviour -- a natural behaviour in which the bird uses his/her beak to dry feathers and arrange them to lay properly. This gives them something productive to do with their time, helping alleviate boredom. As an added bonus, a bird busy preening is quieter, giving your household a break from their chatter!

Let's see your photos of birds enjoying their shower or bath time!

27/04/2022

Are you on our waiting list for a Green Cheeked Conure? Check your email!!!! Lots of exciting news was sent out this week!

Looking to join our waiting list? Contact [email protected]

26/04/2022

Snack time and playtime go hand-in-hand!

26/04/2022

Baby Conures are learning to fly! This early flight training is so critical to help build strength, stamina, body awareness, confidence and trust of the human as a safe place to land.

22/04/2022

Babies enjoyed their second experience in the shower today! Fresh and clean for the weekend!

19/04/2022

First taste of fresh veggie “chop”!

17/04/2022

17/04/2022

More babies coming!

16/04/2022

When people ask if our babies are eager to come out ans socialize...

11/04/2022

A rainbow of conures!!!! 🌈🌈🌈🌈

03/04/2022

Still looking for someone special!!

http://welcomewings.ca/available-birds-for-sale/

02/04/2022

Spent the day getting some of our new Lineolated Parakeet pairs settled!

02/04/2022

Hello, everybirdie!

31/03/2022

BUDGIE UPDATE:

Sometimes breeders are faced with incredibly difficult decisions for which no answer feels right.

Due to physical space constraints we will be downsizing our involvement with American Budgies in order to focus our attention more heavily on our Lineolated Parakeets. I worked very hard last year to build our Linnie program with the import of several new bloodlines from Europe and the addition of four established Linnie pairs from a reputable aviculturalist. The year prior we brought in a few baby Linnies who have now reached maturity and are ready to be paired as well. While I am very excited to continue the growth in this section of the aviary, it comes with a need for more cage space.

I will be keeping a couple of Budgie pairs simply because I love the species too much to let them all go, and someday when we move to a larger facility I do hope to expand this section of our aviary once again.

At the present time we are, very sadly, dissolving our budgie waiting list. Exotic Wings and Pet Things also work with budgies and occasionally have hand-raised babies for sale. We welcome you to get in touch with them if you are interested.

We will have a few (UNTAME) adult budgie breeding pairs listed at the page below over the next couple of days. We would love to see these pairs go to a breeding program, though are also happy to consider pet homes.

http://welcomewings.ca/available-birds-for-sale/

Photo is of two babies we bred a few years ago. I *almost* ended up keeping the little guy with the white face because he was just the most personable budgie I had ever met. The father of these chicks was one of the last birds my mother bred before she passed away in 2015. I will be keeping him and his mate long-term as they are retired now but very special.

31/03/2022

31/03/2022

Name one of the most nutritious foods you can feed your bird... GO!

I bet you didn't guess SPROUTS! Sprouts are super-extra nutritious because they're actually alive at the time they're eaten.

BirdTricks has a great video showing how you can make sprouts for your own birds (and your own fresh salads, burgers, pasta dishes or lots of other uses right in your own kitchen. Check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcmZjbP4ID8&t=88s

Let's chat SPROUTING FOR PET PARROTS! Check out my Sprouting 101 freebie here: https://birdtricksstore.com/products/sprouting-101?_pos=1&_sid=ac3b5b0ae&_ss=r...

28/03/2022

Migratory birds outside have been bringing avian influenza with them. Many large bird facilities like the zoo have closed their doors to prevent cross-contamination from bird droppings or feathers of outdoor wild birds coming into their aviaries on people’s shoes.

Protect your pet birds! Always clean your hands before handling them, or their cage/accessories. Remove shoes as soon as you’re in the house to avoid tracking debris onto the main floor where your bird might land. If clothing gets p**ped on by a wild bird, or if clothing is rubbed accidentally on dry p**p (ie at a picnic table or park bench ect) make sure to wash it right away when you get home and change into something clean. Little things will help keep your flock safe!

Please be advised that our bird aviaries are currently closed to the public.

Your Toronto Zoo is committed to the health and safety of the animals in our care. We are taking proactive steps to protect our birds from avian influenza (flu) which has been confirmed in a wild bird in southern Ontario. By limiting access to the aviaries to only Zoo staff, we protect them from any contamination that may come from outside of the Zoo.

Please note the following changes:
🐦 The walk-through bird aviaries in the pavilions will be closed to guests or significantly modified to protect the birds
🐦 Guests will be re-directed in the Pavilions to manage guest flows

We thank you for your continued support and patience during this time and we will continue to keep you updated as the situation progresses. More information on how to protect your birds can be found at inspection.canada.ca/flock-protection.