When the devastating wildfires swept through Lāhainā on August 8, 2023, the bird and parrot community on Maui found itself in urgent need of support — and HFFN was ready to help.

AFA Watchbird Magazine, Volume 51, July 2024 — Page 1 ↓ Download page 1

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AFA Disaster Relief reached out across the state to coordinate the massive effort needed to assist displaced birds and their owners. HFFN President Lea Hollingsworth-Ramsey connected with AFA to help assess not only what was needed on the ground, but also the complex logistics of transporting supplies from the mainland to the fire-ravaged island.

The first urgent need was clear: 15 large macaw and cockatoo cages. The displaced birds were being temporarily housed at their veterinarian’s office in small animal-holding cages — completely unsuitable for large parrots who would need to live in them long-term. Their owners had lost everything. These birds needed proper homes.

Among those helped were Barrie Matthews and David Vanzo, owners of The Lahaina Bird Stand — a beloved Lāhainā Harbor landmark for 25 years. When the fires came, they escaped with 15 birds, 4 dogs, and as many cats as they could carry. Their home and their business — a quarter century of life and work — were completely destroyed.

The birds they saved included Moluccan Cockatoos, Umbrella Cockatoos, Eclectus, Scarlet Macaws, Green Wing Macaw, Blue and Gold Macaws, a Harlequin Macaw, a Galah, an Australian King Parrot, and more — a remarkable, irreplaceable flock that Barrie and David had built and cared for over decades. Getting them into proper cages with enrichment and nutrition was not a luxury. It was urgent.

Some of the birds Barrie and David saved from the Lāhainā fires — Galah, Green Wing Macaw, and Moluccan Cockatoo.

The macaws — safe, colorful, and on proper stands for the first time since the fires.

Pulling together the resources needed was no small task for a local Oʻahu nonprofit. HFFN reached out across the national bird community, working with AFA Disaster Relief, The Parrot Posse, My Safe Bird Store, and A&E Cage Co. to secure 15 large cages for the displaced birds.

Kathy donated two of the cage and coordinated toy donations from her customers. Griffi the Dancing Cockatoo — one of the most beloved bird personalities on social media — donated $500 which was used specifically to make handcrafted toys for the Maui birds. Christine’s Chop Shop sent thousands of dollars worth of chop and food, providing months of nutritional support. Leather Elves, Hagen/Hari, and Harrison’s Bird Foods all contributed donations of supplies.

The response from the international parrot community was immediate and generous — proof that when bird people show up for each other, they show up completely.

Left: Handcrafted toys made with Griffi’s $500 donation. Right: Happy birds looking forward to their new toys.

HFFN didn’t just coordinate from Oʻahu — the entire board (with the exception of Jeff) flew to Maui to do the work in person. Lea Hollingsworth-Ramsey, and board members Bruce Ramsey, Robbie Williams, Natasha Ribuca and volunteer Victoria Furtado assembled the cages by hand, installed perches and toys, and made sure everything was set up correctly for the birds who would be living in them.

Lea also had Maui photographer Christopher Barense document the day professionally. AFA had donated thousands of dollars toward shipping the donated food and toys to Maui and contributing to the cage purchases — they needed something meaningful to publish that would let them share the story with their membership and demonstrate how those funds were used. The photographs Christopher captured that day became the foundation of the AFA Watchbird feature.

The cage assembly took place at the Hyatt Regency Kāʻanapali, whose staff graciously provided space and support for the operation. The scene — volunteers with wrenches and instruction sheets, new cages rising in an open-air courtyard, birds watching from colorful PVC stands nearby — was a remarkable testament to what community can accomplish.

Volunteers assembling multiple cages simultaneously at the Hyatt Regency Kāʻanapali.

The work being done — hands on hardware, cages going up, tools on the table. Every bolt tightened was one step closer to a proper home for a bird who needed one.

The finished cages — clean, solid, and ready. From small holding cages at the vet’s office to proper homes built with love by a community that showed up.

With the cages assembled, the toys installed, and the food supplies in place, the birds — and their people — could finally begin to breathe again. What followed was a remarkable afternoon of birds on stands, volunteers meeting the flock, and the quiet satisfaction of a job done well.

David Vanzo with his birds — Scarlet Macaws, Blue and Gold Macaws, an Eclectus, and a Cockatoo all on their new colorful stands.

The birds — curious, alert, and settling into their new normal.

Multiple Moluccans and an Eclectus on the play stand together — thriving.

The full team — Barrie Matthews (black shirt, left), David Vanzo (blue shirt, kneeling), HFFN volunteers, Barrie and David’s crew, and Hyatt Regency Kāʻanapali staff — with the birds and a table full of donated toys.

The cage delivery and assembly trip was not the end of HFFN’s commitment — it was the beginning. For a full year following the fires, HFFN coordinated ongoing food and supply support for Barrie, David, and their birds. Donations of pellets, nuts, dried food, and enrichment items continued to flow to Maui, keeping the flock healthy while their owners rebuilt their lives.

For a small Oʻahu nonprofit, sustaining that level of support for twelve months was not easy — but it reflected what HFFN believes: that showing up once is good, and showing up every month for a year is what ʻohana actually looks like.

Barrie and David have rebuilt. They are no longer in Lāhainā — that chapter, like the town itself, has changed forever — but they have found their footing. They operate now at South Maui Gardens, have purchased a home, and have a stable living situation. Their birds live in the aviary at South Maui Gardens. Their ʻohana is intact.