Abstract
Located in north central Virginia about fifty miles southwest of Washington, D.C. in an area which witnessed the last great Confederate victory of Chancellorsville are the spanking new aviaries of the American Bird Company, owned and operated by Steve and Pat Boros. While Pat is the mainstay at their popular retail outlet for domestically bred birds located in Falls Church, Virginia, outside of Washington, D.C., Steve and son Michael spend much of their time installing the latest state-ofthe-art equipment for a completely indoor avian facility, perhaps without parallel anywhere on the East Coast.
Pat is calm and easy-going, and Steve, while abundantly friendly and generous, is always on the go with new ideas on how to best improve his existing operation. Not just satisfied with having a store with an excellent reputation for cleanliness and high quality baby birds in addition to an extensive wholesale business for a vast array of products ranging from Prevue-Hendrix cages to Critter Litter, Steve has as his top priority to raise all of his own birds for sale through the Falls Church store - a rather formidable task, given the American Bird Company's volume of business in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Phase I of the ABC Aviaries was completed at the end of February. All breeding pairs, formerly kept in the basement of their store and pairs out on breeding loan, have been transferred to the new facility. Steve expects new breeding efforts on the part of his collection to commence in May. The larger species of macaws and cockatoos are housed in 6' x 6' x 6' galvanized welded wire (#10 gauge) suspended from the ceiling, whereas African Greys, smaller cockatoos and Severe and Yellow-collared Macaws are housed in facilities that are 4' x 4' x 4' and the Senegals, Myer's, Red-bellies, Moustache and Grey-cheeked Parakeets as well as Sun Conures are in 3' x 3' x 3' setups.
Steve's insistence on an entirely indoor facility was predicated on a desire to prevent any contamination from exposure to insects, feral birds and animals and, of course, to control the temperature as well as extend the breeding season. The roof of the building has a series of skylights for natural sun and moon light, however, Steve relies on the use of his Superdimma timers from Scotland to bring on the incandescent lighting, as appropriate, in order to supplement the fluorescent lighting (Vita-lights) and to simulate dawn and dusk for the birds. The comfort and health of the Boros' breeding pairs are accommodated, in part, through a heat pump, air-conditioning and a top-ofthe-line ventilation system. Smokemaster is an industrial rated air cleaner, with internal parts by Honeywell, that electronically cleans by ionization all the microscopic dust particles in the air. Steve indicates that, according to manufacture's specifications, one would be sufficient for his size building, but using two has cut down on his maintenance and will ensure the cleanest possible air for his birds. Adding to the tropical ambience maintained in the building, and more importantly to keep the humidity reading at a desired level for his birds, Steve Boros has installed a computerized sprinkling system that produces a warm mist four times per day. The constant "rain" also prevents the droppings from hardening on the cement floor, which has been protected by an industrial sealant. With a commercial pressure-washer (700 lbs. of pressure) applied directly to the beveled surface of the floor, the water and debris are quickly eliminated. The computer device (made by the Gardina Company) which regulates the PCV-constructed 'watering system is quite simple and can be purchased from many home and garden centers.
The industrial flights have manzanita perches, as they are natural and very durable. In lieu of typical wooden or metal nest boxes, Steve has had his boxes constructed of black ABS plastic, which are remarkably light-weight yet very resistent to any kind of abuse from the birds. They are also easy to disinfect, unlike the wooden boxes. The dark interior promotes a sense of security for the breeders and the rigidity of the plastic does not allow for crimping, often a concern in using metal boxes, given the weight and activity of a nesting pair of birds.
Feeding and watering are done in an efficient and non-intrusive manner. The water bottles (made by Reddi) are sealed and have never leaked, according to Boros, and stay fresh for at least four days, at which time he prefers to change them. The food dishes slide into secured holding areas for easy access and are kept in place by spring-loaded doors. The birds can stick their heads into a food dish, but it is impossible for them to remove the dish or turn it upside down, which has been a problem in the past.
The dietary regimen followed at the ABC Aviaries includes Kellogg nosunflower...