Skip to main content

Wildlife appeal · Colombia · Brazil · Indonesia

How to Help Trafficked Parrots

Tens of thousands of macaws and Amazon parrots enter the illegal pet trade every year. Help fund the rescue network they desperately need.

  • Give on this page — one-off or monthly, card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
  • Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia are the funded geography
  • You do not get a named pet parrot
  • WARN does not fund commercial breeding or contact tourism
Donate to trafficked parrots Adopt a macaw Parrot guide

Give now

Wildlife appeal · Colombia · Brazil · Indonesia · one-off or monthly

1

How often

2

Choose an amount

£

Supports the rescue-to-sanctuary journey for a trafficked animal.

3

Where should it go?

Your gift£50 · Trafficked parrots — Colombia · Brazil · Indonesia

Secure payment · You'll be directed to a secure checkout.

Fully receiptedProgramme-first funding targetCancel any time

Secure donation · accepted methods

VISA Mastercard AMEX Pay G Pay

256-bit SSL encryption · PCI-DSS compliant · Powered by Stripe — WARN never stores your card details.

In brief

Give on this page to help trafficked parrots. Your gift funds partner-led triage, rehabilitation and soft-release for macaws and Amazon parrots in Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia. Tens of thousands are seized each year; up to half die before reaching buyers. You do not get a named bird. Cancel a monthly gift any time.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated

75,000+

Parrots trafficked annually (est.)

~50%

Die before reaching buyers

26%

Psittaciformes species threatened (IUCN)

3

WARN in-network countries

Figures: CITES trade reports; BirdLife International; IUCN Red List Psittaciformes assessments.

Who should skip this

This is not the right page if you want

  • A named pet parrot or macaw with photo updates. WARN does not offer that. Symbolic wording is adopt a macaw.
  • Buying a wild-caught parrot, or funding commercial breeding for the pet trade. WARN does not fund those.
  • Contact tourism, wing-clipping venues or a UK pet-shop bird. If you wanted a companion parrot, stop.
  • Gift Aid or a UK charity receipt — that is registration status, not this page.
  • Posting seed, cages or toys from Britain unless a partner has asked in writing.
  • Jaguar or habitat programmes — those are jaguars appeal and habitat protection appeal.

How to help trafficked parrots

Give on this page. This URL funds partner-led triage, rehabilitation and soft-release for trafficked parrots in Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia, not a named pet bird. Read the rescue pathway, skip the parcels, then pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

  1. 1

    Confirm you want seizure-to-release fieldwork

    Stay here for partner grants in Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia. Other parrot range countries appear as search context only. If you wanted a UK pet parrot, stop. Species facts: parrot and macaw. Trafficking briefing: newsroom briefing. Rescue pathway: parrot trafficking colombia.

  2. 2

    Give on this page

    Choose one-off or monthly, pick an amount, pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Stripe emails a receipt. Entry-tier gifts pool across the programme — they are not a named-animal invoice.

  3. 3

    Or give monthly if partners need a calendar

    Monthly is what lets partners keep intake kits and aviaries ready for the next seizure. Symbolic macaw adoption wording is adopt a macaw. Unrestricted monthly without this appeal is monthly giving.

  4. 4

    Skip parcels unless a partner asked

    Do not post food, blankets or equipment from Britain unless a partner asked in writing. Money buys supplies where the animals live. That is faster than a parcel. Soft-release context: parrot soft release.

Why do trafficked parrots need help?

Parrots are among the most intelligent and long-lived birds on earth — and among the most exploited. The wild parrot trade kills tens of thousands each year; survivors arrive traumatised at customs with nowhere suitable to go. WARN funds triage centres, soft-release aviaries and rapid veterinary deployment at seizure points in Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia. Read our Colombia parrot trade briefing and parrot trafficking rescue guide.

What threats do parrots face?

Illegal pet trade

Wild-caught parrots are smuggled for the international pet market. Chicks are taken from nests — destroying trees — or adults are trapped with glue and nets. Most birds die in transit from stress, dehydration and broken wings.

CITES lists most parrot species on Appendix I or II

Customs seizure without capacity

When authorities confiscate shipments, there is often nowhere suitable to take survivors. Overcrowded holding facilities cause secondary deaths from disease and stress.

Seized birds need species-appropriate triage within hours

Clipped wings and imprinting

Traffickers clip flight feathers so birds cannot escape. Birds raised in captivity or handled excessively become imprinted on humans and may never qualify for release.

Soft-release requires intact flight feathers and wild behaviour

Habitat loss

Deforestation in Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia removes nesting trees and food sources even where trapping stops. Macaws depend on large dead trees for nesting cavities that take decades to form.

Amazon deforestation continues to fragment parrot habitat

Viral social-media demand

Videos showing “cute” wild parrots fuel demand. Buyers rarely understand that parrots live 40–80 years, need specialist diets and loud vocalisations are natural — not charming quirks.

Pet-trade demand is a primary driver of wild parrot decline

From seizure to soft release: the rescue pathway

Rescue pathway for trafficked parrots
StageWhat happensWhat donors fund
SeizureCustoms or police intercept shipmentRapid-response veterinary deployment
TriageFluids, antibiotics, quiet recoveryIntake kits and quarantine space
RehabilitationFlight conditioning, flock socialisationAviary days, specialist diets
Soft releaseGraduated return to protected habitatRelease monitoring 6–12 months
Lifetime sanctuaryFor imprinted or non-releasable birdsLong-term enclosure and care

Quick parrot facts

Quick parrot facts
Most trafficked birdsParrots and macaws rank among the highest-volume wild bird trade
Lifespan40–80 years for large macaws — a lifetime commitment in captivity
CITES protectionMost wild parrot species listed Appendix I or II
Mortality in tradeUp to half of trafficked birds die before sale (conservation estimates)
WARN focusColombia, Brazil and Indonesia — triage, rehab, soft-release
Release criteriaIntact flight feathers, natural foraging, minimal human imprinting
Symbolic adoptionAdopt a macaw from £5/month at /adopt/macaw/
What WARN does not fundCommercial breeding for the pet trade or contact tourism

What does WARN fund for parrots?

WARN funds partner-led triage, rehabilitation and soft-release — not WARN-branded facilities. See parrot soft release and macaw.

Focus 1

Triage and intake

First response when birds are seized — fluids, antibiotics, quiet recovery boxes and veterinary assessment.

Focus 2

Rehabilitation

Flight conditioning, natural foraging, social housing with conspecifics, preparation for soft release.

Focus 3

Soft release

Graduated reintroduction to protected wild habitat with 6–12 months post-release monitoring.

Focus 4

Lifetime sanctuary

For birds unable to return to the wild due to imprinting, injury or species misidentification.

What a gift provides

Choose an amount on this page. These are contribution claims — they help fund the work named below. They are not a named-animal invoice.

Contribution claims, not a named-bird invoice. There is no confirmed unit cost for one aviary day in this file.
Gift What it funds
£15 Helps fund intake kits — fluids, antibiotics and quiet recovery space for birds in shock.
£40 Helps fund aviary care, specialist diets and flight conditioning during rehabilitation.
£120 Helps fund rapid veterinary deployment when a wildlife seizure happens at a port or airport.

How does my donation reach trafficked parrots?

You give on this page. WARN holds the gift for this appeal and grants it to a vetted partner in Colombia, Brazil or Indonesia. They run triage, aviaries and soft-release monitoring for birds seized from the trade.

Buying locally is faster, and it is kinder. WARN's target is for at least 80% of unrestricted donations to fund programme delivery — grants to partner shelters, sanctuary capacity, veterinary care and rescue across the network. That 80% figure is a target, not an audited result. The spend path is at where your money goes.

Card gifts are processed straight away. Monthly income is what lets a partner plan the next clinic, patrol or intake before the last one ends. A one-off gift still matters — use the toggle on the form.

Give on this page

Trafficked parrots: frequently asked questions

Why are parrots the most trafficked birds?
High demand for colourful, intelligent pets drives massive wild capture across South America and Southeast Asia. Parrots are long-lived, socially complex and difficult to keep — yet the illegal trade continues because enforcement gaps and profit margins remain high.
Where does WARN's parrot work happen?
WARN’s in-network parrot focus is Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia — among the most active source and transit regions for the wild parrot trade. Other parrot range countries feature as wider search context, not current partner-network countries. Country pages: Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia.
Can rescued parrots be returned to the wild?
Many can — but only with months of careful rehabilitation. Birds with intact flight feathers and natural behaviour can often be soft-released back into protected habitat. Birds raised in captivity, with clipped wings or severe imprinting, need lifetime sanctuary care instead. Pathway: parrot soft release.
How many parrots are trafficked each year?
Conservation estimates put the figure at tens of thousands annually across the Americas and Asia, with some analyses citing 75,000+ birds entering trade routes. Exact numbers are hard to verify because most trade is illegal and unreported.
What happens when customs seizes parrots?
Survivors need immediate triage — many arrive dehydrated, injured and traumatised. Without species-appropriate facilities, secondary deaths are common. WARN funds partner capacity at the point of seizure. Colombia context: parrot trafficking colombia.
Is it legal to own a wild-caught parrot?
International commercial trade in most wild parrot species is restricted under CITES. Domestic laws vary, but wild-caught birds sold as pets are usually illegal or require permits the seller cannot provide.
Does WARN run its own parrot sanctuary?
No. WARN raises funds and makes grants to established sanctuaries, veterinary teams and customs-response partners. It does not run WARN-branded facilities.
Can I symbolically adopt a macaw?
Yes. WARN symbolic macaw adoption from £5/month funds frontline rescue and rehabilitation through partner programmes. It is not a named pet bird. See adopt a macaw.
Which parrot species are most at risk?
Status varies by species, but hyacinth macaws, Lear’s macaws, yellow-eared parrots and many Amazon species are threatened. Roughly 26% of Psittaciformes species are at elevated extinction risk on the IUCN Red List. Species facts: parrot and macaw.
How do I donate to help trafficked parrots?
Give on this page. Choose one-off or monthly, pick an amount, pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The gift funds partner-led triage, rehabilitation and soft-release in Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia. It is not a named-bird invoice.
How can I help trafficked parrots from the UK?
Stay on this URL. Pay in GBP, USD or EUR by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Stripe emails a receipt. If you wanted a UK pet parrot, this is the wrong page. Gift Aid is explained at registration status.
Can I give monthly to help trafficked parrots?
Yes — use the monthly toggle on the form above, or symbolic macaw adoption wording at adopt a macaw. Unrestricted monthly without this appeal is monthly giving.
How does my donation reach trafficked parrots?
You give on this page. WARN grants to a vetted partner. They buy supplies locally and run the work. WARN's target is for at least 80% of unrestricted donations to fund programme delivery — grants to partner shelters, sanctuary capacity, veterinary care and rescue across the network. That 80% figure is a target, not an audited result. See where your money goes. Funded geography: Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia.
Is this Gift Aid eligible or US tax-deductible?
No. Gift Aid is only available to UK registered charities. World Animal Rescue Network is a registered global not-for-profit animal welfare organisation, not a registered charity. International donors should check their own local rules. Full detail is at registration status. You still receive a payment receipt.
Should I post parcels or supplies from the UK?
Please donate money instead, unless a named partner has asked for a specific item in writing. Parcels from Britain usually arrive late and cost more than buying locally. A card gift on this page is the fastest way to help.

Sources and references

Ready to help trafficked parrots?

Give on this page. Every gift funds partner-led rescue in Colombia, Brazil and Indonesia — not a named pet bird, and not a parcel from Britain.

Donate to trafficked parrots
Donate to trafficked parrots