Abstract
On January 23 and 24, the Avian
Research Fund held its sixth annual
seminar. The Parrot Breeding and
Handrearing Seminar was held at the
San Ramon Marriott Hotel. A viculturists
came from across the U.S. , but
especially from California, to attend
this infonnative and fun event. Everyone
enjoys the Friday and Saturday
evening hospitality parties where
good food, bracing drinks and great
conversations are enjoyed. Old friends
share tips on handfeeding and questions
on diseases. New friendships
add a measure of excitement to the
atmosphere.
The 1993 seminar provided participants
with information on breeding
hookbills. They learned from Denna
Ferris about breeding conures and
from Dale Thompson about breeding
Amazons. Kay Muser presented informative
and challenging material on
pediatrics and nursery management.
Dr. Julie Cummings held the audience's
attention with emergency procedures.
Dr. Branson Ritchie gave us
some good news about Psittacine
Beak and Feather Disease and polyomavirus.
Dr. Scott McDonald helped
us to see that a lot of information can
be obtained from performing a
necropsy. The complexity of breeding
parrots and returning them to the wild
was presented by Susan Healy. Keeping
and breeding toucans was presented
by Jerry Jennings . Dr. Scott
McDonald discussed the pre-purchase
and post-purchase exam. Special sessions
in the late afternoon included:
setting up the softbill aviary,
handfeeding discussion, rare Amazons
and teaching parrots to talk. The
two days went by very quickly. Some
out-of-state participants came early or
stayed later to see the sights of San
Francisco or tour the Napa-Sonoma
wine country.
How did this seminar get started?
After a particularly exciting demonstration/
lecture on handfeeding
exotic birds at the Contra Costa Avian
Society in the spring of 1987, several
members discussed the need for more
information and for research funds.
Thus was "hatched" the Avian
Research Fund. Three people started
and worked on the fund for the first
two years: Wayne Arthur of San
Francisco, Laurella Desborough of
Concord, and Judy Kiefer-Meyer of
Alamo. Wayne had been handrearing
exotic birds for several years. Laurella
had spent 15 years as an educator and
Judy was a management level nurse.
Starting with the 1990 seminar,
Laurella and Judy have directed the
fund and organized the seminars.
The first seminar was organized
around the topic of the exotic bird
nursery. Recognizing that a tremendous
amount of information was
available for bird breeders about
handrearing, handfeeding, pediatric
problems, and diseases, the first
seminar was arranged .