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A wild goose walking along the side of Red Pond Road is the first indication you are approaching the Berkshire Bird Paradise & Botanical Garden. Off to the right you see other signs; acres of plastic-wrapped enclosures that house over 1,700 birds and hundreds of species of exotic plants. It's run by Peter Dubacher, who has been rescuing and caring for birds on the 20- acre farm that was his parents' summer home since 1972. His parents still live there with him, as does his wife and daughter. Since 1985 this has been his only occupation; operating and expanding the sanctuary and raising the funds, supplies and volunteers needed to keep it running.
Peter was born in San Francisco, and after periods of living in Hawaii and New Jersey his family settled in West Hempstead, New York. After graduating in 1967 from West Hempstead High School, Peter joined the army and became a cook. He was lucky enough to be sent to Panama instead of Vietnam and spent several years there, eventually becoming a general's aid. It was during this period in Panama that he became fascinated with birds. In the marketplaces there were rows of cages of exotic birds that the locals caught and sold. Peter would buy a cage full of them for five dollars, then drive down the road a few miles and set them free. After the army, Peter settled down on his parent's farm and got a job as a cook. But his passion was birds. In 1972 he founded the Berkshire Bird Paradise as a home for injured birds that were unable to survive in the wild.
The sanctuary is closed this time of year; it's only open to the public from Memorial Day weekend through October. At the entrance you're greeted by a friendly black and white housecat. Peter gives a tour of the facility, talking about his work; he doesn't talk much about himself. Over the years he's created a series of simple greenhouse-like enclosures to house the birds he receives from all over the country. The enclosures are still bundled up for the winter, covered with plastic that helps to keep out the winter chill. The plastic not only contains the heat provided by wood-burning stoves, it helps produce solar warmth in the bright winter sun. Many of the enclosures are warm and moist, providing the rain forest-like environment needed by some of the birds and plants.
Yes, plants. Not only does he rescue birds, he tries to provide a comfortable and natural habitat for them. During the winter months the pathways through the habitats are crowded with all sorts of potted plants. In a few weeks when the plastic coverings are removed the plants will be moved outdoors.
Many of the birds he cares for are endangered or protected species. Over the years his rescued eagles have gotten the most publicity; there are few other places in the country where you can get up close and personal with the symbol of our country. For the last several years he has been able to provide eaglets hatched at the Bird Paradise to a program sponsored by Vermont and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to release Eagles into the wild at Lake Champlain.
It’s an expensive and time-consuming undertaking, and Peter appreciates publicity. He feels that with every article about the Berkshire Bird Paradise “you might get that one person who can really make a difference and help you.” He’s always improving and expanding; you can see the ribs of several new enclosures that are going up. He’s also hoping to get some corporate sponsorship so he can start his own eagle release program in New York.
Peter is increasingly emphasizing the educational aspects of his work, especially with children. He encourages school groups to visit the Bird Paradise and gets help from college students doing intern work and research there. And he regularly receives phone calls from reporters looking for information.
“Thirty years ago people thought I was nuts,” he said. But now, with the effects of global warming painfully apparent, the need to study and preserve our natural habitats is clear.
Erwin Bush
April 2006
