Papouščí ráj near Prague: Visiting the Parrot Dad in Osnice

This time our next trip took us just outside Prague. Partly because my father-in-law loves birds and keeps canaries at home. So we brought my parents-in-law along too, and together we set off for a place I’d already known for a while from social media – Papouščí ráj.

The Papouščí ráj rescue station is located in Osnice near Jesenice, not far from Prague. It has also appeared several times in programmes on Czech Television. The whole project is run by Norbert Souček, also known as the Parrot Dad. The project itself has been running for several years now, and its purpose is, among other things, to help animals in need, protect animals in human care, and provide education and advice. They also help catch and search for lost or escaped parrots. 🦜

You’ll find their own parrots there, but also ones that were abandoned, found, or whose original owners could no longer take care of them. Some of them have genuinely sad stories behind them. And this is where they get another chance at life.

The Papouščí ráj rescue station is not a zoo.

First meeting with the Parrot Dad

We parked right by the site, and practically as soon as we arrived we spotted Mr Norbert. He was in the middle of sorting something out with someone else, but as soon as he noticed us, he came over, introduced himself and shook our hands. It was a small thing, really, but I still remember it today. He could have just carried on with what he was doing, but instead he came to welcome us personally.

Then we carried on to where visits were being sorted out. When we were there, it didn’t work like a classic zoo ticket office where you buy a ticket and move on. We chose a parrot to sponsor and got a card with its photo and name.

Today, visits are set up a bit differently. At the time of writing, the basic visit called “Na kukačku” costs 200 CZK per adult, and children get in for free. Take the price only as a rough guide, though, and check the current information directly on the Papouščí ráj website before you go.

Seating between the aviaries, where visitors can take a rest.

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Macaws, cockatoos and one loud “Hello”

At first glance the site doesn’t look huge, but as soon as you start walking between the aviaries, you realise just how many parrots are actually there. And especially how much noise they can make. I probably remember the macaws most. There are really a lot of them here, and when several of them decide to call out at once, you definitely won’t miss it. 🙂

We walked past the individual aviaries, watched the parrots and, of course, took photos. We saw various species, and one cockatoo even said “Hello” to us. Little moments like that are exactly what you end up remembering most from a trip like this.

A large aviary with macaws, where the birds kept calling to each other the whole time.

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There was also a section that regular visitors don’t get access to – isolation and quarantine. That’s of course kept separate from the visitor areas. Then we reached the large macaw aviary. We could just watch them for a while as they communicated with each other, climbed from spot to spot and, naturally, called out loudly.

One of the parrots was even curious enough to let itself be scratched through the mesh.

One white cockatoo let a visitor stroke it, while another just posed.

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When Norbert showed up with a cockatoo on his shoulder

More people gradually started arriving, and once there were more of us there, Mr Norbert came over with a cockatoo on his shoulder. And the talking began. He told us about the parrots, about their behaviour and about how everything works at Papouščí ráj. People asked questions and he happily answered them. It didn’t feel like some rehearsed lecture to me, more like an ordinary chat with someone who spends a large part of his life with parrots.

I’ve been following Norbert on social media for quite a while now. I’ve seen plenty of his videos with parrots, and even from those I got the feeling that parrots aren’t just his job or his hobby. They’re a big part of his life, and in my opinion, he genuinely loves them. And after meeting him in person, I got exactly the same feeling.

Of course, I’m not an expert on keeping parrots, and I can’t judge the professional side of the care they receive. I can only write about what we saw during our visit and how the whole place felt to us. The parrots were curious, loud, some of them sought out contact, and it was interesting to watch their reactions to Norbert too. I think that personal meeting was actually one of the most interesting parts of the whole visit for me.

It’s not just a trip to see colourful parrots

We originally set off for Papouščí ráj mainly to make my father-in-law happy. I expected we’d look at some parrots, learn a bit about them and then move on. In the end, though, it wasn’t just about beautiful, colourful birds. You also realise there that getting a large parrot isn’t the same as bringing home a small animal you’ll look after for a few years. Some parrots can live to a very old age and need a lot of time, attention and care. That’s partly why I think places like this make sense. And when you see so many different parrots side by side, each with its own personality, you quite quickly understand why someone could fall completely in love with them. 🦜

You can also support Papouščí ráj

If Papouščí ráj catches your interest, a classic visit isn’t the only way to support it. On their website you’ll find various experience programmes that let you get closer to the parrots and learn more about them. Some are even focused on direct contact with specific parrots. On top of that, you can support the station through sponsorship or by contributing towards feeding costs.

Their offer also includes things like calendars with parrots on them and other ways to help, but the offer changes throughout the year, so I’d look for anything current directly on their website. And if you have someone at home who really loves parrots, one of these experiences could make a pretty interesting gift.

Aviaries full of all kinds of parrots and cockatoos.

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We came here mainly for my father-in-law, but in the end all of us enjoyed the visit. And what do I remember most from Papouščí ráj? The loud macaws, one parrot’s “Hello”, Norbert with a cockatoo on his shoulder, and above all the feeling that this time we hadn’t just gone on a trip somewhere, but got to know a place with a slightly different story.

Have you ever been to Papouščí ráj? 🙂