Free Kori Bustard Feathers
As most of you already know, the Free Kori Bustard Program at FeathersMc, which has now been in existence for 15 years, receives feathers that are collected at several zoological parks throughout the US. This was set up by me through the Kori Bustard Species Survival Plan. (click on their highlighted name to go to their beautiful new website and learn more about them and the very impressive birds they tend) We then redistribute the Feathers to the domestic fly tying community. Quite honestly, it is amazing to me how it has grown and benefits fly tiers by providing, at no cost, materials that in the past were prohibitively expensive and difficult to acquire. The Birds at the zoological gardens and parks benefit from the donations that we collect on their behalf. Without this support, they would not be able to purchase and maintain some equipment, such as egg incubators, or conduct certain research projects like what I call the Poop Study.
Here is how it works. Terry and I at FeathersMc receive the zoo feathers; wash, sort and steam them whenever we’re lucky enough to get a box. All feathers are available at no cost IF (big if) we have them. You pay for postage if it’s only Kori that you want please contact me John@Feathersmc.com or use the contact feature at the bottom or as many of you know, if you are placing an order, we usually include some Kori whenever possible. Unfortunately, we are not permitted to send the Kori feathers internationally. Although supplies are limited and somewhat unpredictable, most customers eventually will get the material they need in a reasonable amount of time.
We generally base what we send on three criteria, what you might tell us, what we see (pictures you post) or what you order. For example, if you order 2/0 or 3/0 hooks and we have a nice feather or two that accommodates that, we’ll send it along. Our packs of Goose Shoulders now contain feathers that can tie as large as 5/0 so we try to accommodate to that size range if possible. We try to move as much Kori along as we can. In so doing we sometimes run out. We have no control over what we get. Any and all that we get is wanted and appreciated but it isn’t always the big beautiful pairs with 8/0+ barb length. We do get those but it’s the exception rather than the rule. We do the best we can with what we get and pass it along with you. There are many Kori feathers that lend themselves to fishing flies of all kinds. More information on that subject will be posted later.
We have provided countless thousands of free feathers (worth many, many thousands of $) to the fly tying community throughout the US for the Kori SSP. We, the fly tying community, need to step up and show our appreciation. Any donation you can make is needed and appreciated. Money speaks the loudest but I also like to pass on your “Kori” flies to the folks that collect the feathers. More often than not the flies are proudly displayed in explaining to visitors their part in the free feather program. Anything we can do to help them, help us, is a good thing.
There are 2 ways to donate
Option 1
Donate directly to the Kori SSP at Denver Zoo by using the Paypal Donation option on their website.
Click on Kori SSP How To Help then look for the PayPal icon that says Donate. You can make a one time or monthly donation it is entirely up to you. Just know it is going to a good cause.
Option 2
Checks need to be made payable to Denver Zoo (under current IRS guidelines are tax deductible) with Kori SSP in the memo section. You will need to mail the check to me:
John McLain
9145 Sandy Ridge Dr
White Lake MI 48386
Then I forward it to a certain person at the zoo who makes sure it goes into the correct account. The reason I do it this way is in the past some donations sent directly to them have been inadvertently credited to the Pandas or some other worthwhile cause, just not ours. This system has worked well for a while now, I just need your help to keep it going.
If you have any questions please contact me using the section below.
Here is a slideshow of various Kori Bustard pictures:
Hi Charlie
Update your browser as I am just now updating the page. Thanks. Congrats on being the first post here.
John
PS Terry has some in your outgoing package
Hi Bob
Email sent. Talk to you soon.
John