Summit Aviary & Bird Rescue
Hello! SABR is a rescue in Summit County, Ohio, and was founded in 2022.We accept wild, feral, and domestic birds in need of assistance. I accept european starlings (wild or hand-raised), english sparrows (wild or hand-raised), pigeons (feral or domestic), and other softbills as able.Please check my Facebook page for my current intake status! Texts can be sent to 330-552-7998 for the quickest response, but if I am closed I may not check the rescue inbox as regularly.
About Us:
My name is Rain Thomas, and I own and manage Summit Aviary. I have worked in animal rescue for over a decade, have a Bachelor's degree in Zoology specializing in ornithology, and have been involved with the wildlife rehabilitation community since 2021. Most of my free time and income is dedicated to our birds. The rescue is operated from my home, and for this reason, we do not allow tours of the aviary, in order to respect my family and my residents' privacy.I am a single person rescue and do not have a huge capacity due to full time work, personal health issues, and high-needs resident birds. I will always do my best to get back to you in a timely manner, but please check my Facebook page for information on the current status of intakes as well as any other delays, limitations, or absences.Summit Aviary is unable to take in native species. My other limitations are parrots (none - even parakeets), waterfowl (such as ducks and geese), and gamebirds (like chickens, turkey, quail, pheasant, etc). Aside from that, when not at capacity we will take anyone who needs help. Most of my intakes are pigeons, whether they be injured/orphaned ferals, lost racers, surrendered domestics, or birds from neglect cases. During the spring and summer I also get an abundance of European starlings and English sparrows.
Adoptions:
We almost always have birds available for adoption on a rolling basis. When birds are admitted, they are medically evaluated. They receive any treatment that they need at the time, including a vet visit if necessary. The bird will remain in our care until they are sufficiently healthy and have passed all of the criteria to be ready for adoption. If a bird does not meet the adoption criteria, they typically remain in my care at the rescue - however, if you are interested in providing a home for a disabled bird, please do let me know, and we can discuss if any of my residents may be a good fit for you.When a bird is available, I will post them on our Facebook page. You can also reach out via email or message to see what birds are currently available or may be available soon.All interested adopters must fill out my adoption application, which can be accessed here.A completed adoption application does not guarantee you a bird, just gets the ball rolling. I will reach out to you about your application, so make sure you include contact information that I can reach you via easily.Unless otherwise specified, my rules for birds adopted from me are as follows:
If you can no longer keep an adopted bird, you will return the bird to me.
Birds adopted from me will not be intentionally used for breeding.
I appreciate being kept updated about how a bird is settling in as well.We do charge a small rehoming fee for our adoptable birds. This fee covers the cost of the bird's care (food, medical treatment, housing, etc). Collecting this fee allows us to keep the lights on and keep helping more birds. We will never ask you for a deposit or for you to send money to "reserve" a bird - payment can be given in cash when you adopt, or sent through a payment app at that time.The adoption fees are as follows:Pigeons: $20 for a single bird, $30 for a pair (bonded or just two available single birds)
Starlings: $30
Sparrows: $20
I have a bird who needs help!:
If you have a bird that is in need of rescue, please reach out. The quickest way to reach me is via TEXT to 330-552-7998. You can also email ([email protected]), and non-urgent messages can be sent to FB Messenger, as I have a volunteer who assists with responding to those messages.IF YOU HAVE A BIRD NEEDING HELP: Please include information about when the bird was found, what steps you have taken so far, your location, and a photo of the bird. Please do your best to verify species. If you do not know species, please talk to native wildlife centers first, as their capacity is higher than mine and if the bird is native I will be directing you to them anyways. A list of wildlife rehabilitation centers for native birds can be found below.If the bird is a NESTLING (no/few feathers, unable to fly, may be able to walk a little), please keep the bird somewhere dark and warm while you wait to hear back from someone. A small bowl or cup lined with paper towel on a low level (<85F) heating pad is the best method. DO NOT offer water under any circumstances, and do not offer food. Do not let the bird directly touch the heat source.If the bird is INJURED OR ILL (feathers fluffed out or tattered, a limb visibly injured, lethargic, eyes closed, shivering, unable to fly, etc), please gently capture the bird and keep it somewhere dark and warm while you wait to hear back. A cardboard box with a towel or blanket at the bottom will work just fine. You may offer a shallow water dish and small dish of food ONLY if I have informed you that it is safe to do so.If the bird is a lost domestic species or surrendered pet and otherwise healthy, please reach out to make sure that I am accepting healthy birds at this time. When space/time is limited, I prioritize injured and ill birds and may refer you elsewhere for a healthy pet.IF THE BIRD IS A NATIVE SPECIES: Due to laws in Ohio and licensing requirements, I am only able to assist with certain birds. If you are in possession of a native songbird, I will direct you to a licensed center. I work closely with the wildlife rehabilitation community, and may let you know I can take the bird if I will be heading to a center in the near future and have their permission to do the intake. If I am unable to assist, please contact centers from the list below:Medina Raptor Center (Spencer OH): 330-591-7300
Ohio Bird Sanctuary (Mansfield OH): 419-884-4295
Stark Parks Wildlife Center (Massillon OH): 330-477-0448
Lake Erie Nature and Science Center (Bay Village OH): 440-871-2900
Heights Wildlife Center (University Heights OH): 216-235-9540
Birds in Flight Sanctuary (Canfield OH): 330-652-3381
Back to the Wild (Castalia OH): 419-684-9539
Support the Aviary!
Summit Aviary is entirely run out of my own pocket and funds. This includes every single bird's housing, medical care, vet visits, food, rehabilitation, and in some cases, permanent residency. As you can imagine, this is not really a cheap endeavor. I live far below my means in order for my birds and patients to have the best life possible. So if you have the means, and would like to support us in any way, we are incredibly appreciative.The main ways that we accept public aid are via financial donations and material donations.Financial contributions can either be sent via any of the following methods, given in cash, or mailed by check. Please reach out to me if you would like to donate via either of the latter two methods and we can arrange something.
We also accept and greatly appreciate material donations. These can either be delivered to me personally or sent via our Amazon wishlist. Items that we can always use include towels and blankets, bird-safe cleaning supplies, bird-safe dishes, food and formula (especially produce!), unscented puppy pads, toys (either unused or properly sanitized), non-expired medications, and carriers, travel cages, and flight cages.Our Amazon wishlist can be found below: