Our Story

Our story begins in the summer of 1994, when a friend who does wildlife rehabilitation offered me a baby pigeon to care for. I didn’t know it then, but pigeons aren’t truly wild birds. They’re feral — descendants of domesticated birds once relied on to carry our messages.

That summer with Little Rocky changed everything. He was smart, friendly, and endlessly curious. Our bond ran deep. My parents weren’t thrilled about keeping a pet pigeon, so he was eventually returned to the feral flock he came from. For years, I felt a knot in my stomach every time I thought of him, hoping he was okay out there.

As time went on, I learned that pigeons do much better with a safe roof over their heads. I promised myself that the next pigeon who crossed my path would be cared for, for life.

In the fall of 2024, I looked outside and saw a confused pigeon standing in my driveway, bands on her legs. I rushed out, gently tossed a net over her, and brought her inside. My daughter named her Twizzler. Twizzler wasn’t very interested in human affection, and I knew she would benefit from a feathered friend.

I called every bird rescue and animal shelter I could find, only to learn that no one was taking in or adopting out pigeons. After weeks of searching, I finally found an online post about an all‑white pigeon wandering around someone’s lawn. I brought her home and named her Daisy. Twizzler and Daisy quickly became best friends.

That’s when I had an idea: what if I became the person people could call for lost or injured pigeons?

Because there were so few resources out there, the messages and phone calls started to roll in. In the spring of 2025, I built my first aviary.

Then, in the summer of 2026, my wife became very sick and spent countless nights in the hospital. During that time, I couldn’t keep a job — I needed to care for her and our daughter. That’s when I decided it was time to fully commit to Rockbird Refuge.

I began the year‑long process of becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and used my own savings to build a larger aviary. What started with pigeons soon grew to include house sparrows, conures, cockatiels, budgies, and other small birds in need.

My dream is to give most of these birds a home for life. I don’t just want an adoption‑style rescue. I want a true refuge.