Popeye, now 91 years old, is one of the permanent residents at Ken Banks's place.
(ABC Capricornia: Jodie van de Wetering)
A lifelong love of birds has led a central Queensland man to start a retirement home for feathered friends whose owners have passed away or moved into aged care.
Ken Banks, from Carwarral near Rockhampton, has loved birds all his life since being introduced to the pets by his father as a young boy.
As well as his duties as president of the Rockhampton Finch and Parrot Social Club, educating inexperienced bird owners in how to best care for their new family members, he has also found himself taking in birds whose families can no longer care for them.
His charges include a one-eyed cockatoo in its 90s, and a flock of about 400 canaries from a friend who recently moved into a nursing home.
"I've just got a soft heart for birds. I can't see a bird being put down for no reason, when it's reasonably healthy and I can give it a home," Mr Banks said.
He said rosella parrots could live for eight to 12 years, while larger native birds could live much longer.
"Galahs, cockatoos, I think they outlive us. Some of those cockatoos are a lot older than me," he said.
One of Mr Banks's permanent residents is Popeye, a sulphur crested cockatoo with documentation passed on by his original owners showing he is 91 years old.
He said Popeye lost an eye to cancer in his 70s, but was still very lively for his age.
"He's still a bit of a larrikin. I hope I'm as good as him when I'm 91, even if I have only got one eye."
Mr Banks is not sure exactly how many birds he is currently caring for.
"Last time I counted I got to 1,600 and they flew, so I couldn't count any more," he joked.
"About 1,500 to 1,800 birds, from tiny finches to spectacular cockatoos. It keeps you busy." Birds a lifelong commitment
Mr Banks said he did not like selling birds, preferring to swap with other breeders or give birds away to people who showed a genuine interest.
Mr Banks takes the diet of his many birds seriously, mixing special seed blends and preparing lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
(ABC Capricornia: Jodie van de Wetering)
"If I offer birds to someone, I make sure they know how to do it before they take them," Mr Banks said.
"The birds can't tell you if they're hungry or they've got shale in the cage. The person looking after them has to see that."
Mr Banks said his personal favourites were Australian native parrots.
"They give me a hard time sometimes.
They want to know who they are and who I am, and they reckon they're good boys but a lot of the time they're not," he said.
"I just love them. My wife will tell you I spend 90 per cent of my time with the birds."
As well as birds, a great deal of aviary building materials have come Mr Banks's way, along with some cages more suitable for decoration than habitation.
(ABC Capricornia: Jodie van de Wetering) Related articles
