Abstract
The AFA is reinstating a proud tradition long egarded as the most celebrated and esteemed awards presented in American aviculture, the prestigious AFAAVY Awards. The categories are open to members and in some instances, other aviculturists or institutions, who have uniquely distinguished themselves in challenging and difficult areas of aviculture.
Although it is not mandatory to award all categories each year, nominations in all areas are encouraged. Nominations for each award category must be submitted by December 31, 2006 to the committee chair at LSR@CockatielsPlusParrots.com. Nominees will be published in a future issue of the AFA Watchbird. Awards merited for the current year will be presented at the AFA convention the following year.
U.S. FIRST BREEDING AVY AWARDS
1. Nominations for a First Time Breeding must be within the past five years (exceptions are permitted by committee ruling).
2. Nominees must have bred the species for a First Breeding within the (50) United States.
3. The person nominated does not have to be a member of the AFA.
4. Each nominee must submit an article on the avicultural details of the First Breeding, which will be submitted to the AFA Watchbird. The editor of the AFA Watchbird will form an article for publication if all relevant facts are included.
5. Nominations may be submitted by the breeders of the First Breeding or by any other individual or Affiliated Club.
6. Nominees for a First Breeding must establish that the young of the U.S. First Breeding are completely weaned and self-sufficient before submitting the nomination. Birds that are not weaned before nomination deadline (due to late hatching dates in that calendar year), should be nominated the following year after self-sufficiency has been proven.
7. Confirmation of First Breeding nominations will be verified through the AFA Awards Committee.
8. Nominations for First Breeding Awards will be published in the AFA Watchbird to aid in their confirmation.
9. Scientific names will be used from Maron, Boch & Farrand Jr.
10. Only identifiable subspecies will be given recognition. Subspecies of an avian species that has already been bred in the U.S. will not be awarded unless there is sufficient documentation on both the species previously bred, and the subspecies nominated, provided that there is little difference. The AVY Awards Committee will make the final decision.
11. Nominations must be submitted by December 31st of the nominating year. The award will be presented at the AFA convention the following year, which will allow the Awards Committee time to confirm the First Time Breeding.
Nomination Requirements for First Breeding Awards 1. Nominees must submit a completed copy of the Breeding History questionnaire.
2. Nominees must submit photographs of both weaned young and of the parent birds for the purpose of documentation and species identification.
3. Nominees must submit a name, address, and phone number, of a witness other than the breeder.
4. Confirmed nominee must submit a completed article for publication in AFA Watchbird.
ZOO CATEGORY AVY AWARDS
Category I. Most Progress for the Establishment of an Individual Species or Group of Related Birds.
Category 1 recognizes aviculturists who have made the effort to successfully breed a species or related group of birds on a consistent basis. Success must be achieved with a minimum of two pair, or through the second generation if it pertains to a single species. The Awards Committee will judge whether establishment is achieved. Birds with a shorter reproductive life span (such as finches), will need greater numbers produced than birds that have longer reproductive life spans (such as parrots). The difficulty of each species to reproduce offspring will be taken into consideration by the committee.