Abstract
On March 22, 1997, over 70 aviculturists arose early to get good seats at the 1st Exotic Bird Breeders Symposium in Sacramento, California. They were at the symposium to hear a panel of very well known and respected avicultural speakers give insights on the arts and sciences of breeding various types of birds including parrots, parakeets and softbills.
Speaking were Joanne Abramson (Breeding Macaw Basics), Gloria Allen (So You Want to be a Breeder), Robert ]. Berry (Softbills), Gene Hall (Rosellas), Dale R. Thompson (Aratinga and Pyrrhura Conures), and Gail Worth, Poicephalus Parrots). Moderator was Laurella Desborough, President of the American Federation of America (AFA). All the profits from the symposium were donated to the AFA.
Two roundtable discussions were presented, the first being on the rosellas, where the attendees could question three experts, Gene Hall, Blue Wrigley and Dale thompson, who between them had accumulated over 100 years of experience with rosellas.
The last session of the day was a roundtable with all the speakers answering individual questions of breeders in the audience.
The lively and informative interaction between the speakers and the attendees added measurably to the great success of this one-day avicultural symposium. One of the most brilliant highlights occurred in Bob Berry's talk on softbills when he gave everyone an inspiring look back to the early days of the AFA and what our obligation is to aviculture and to our captive birds. Many of those present did not know that one of the main reasons the AFA was created in the early 1970s was to respond to an outbreak of Exotic Newcastle Disease and the governments destruction of thousands of rare and exotic birds.
The 1997 Exotic Bird Breeders Symposium was put together by the Foothill Bird Fanciers club located in northern California. The idea originated with Roland and Ilana Cristo and was very well carried out. The AFA thanks them and all the members of the Foothill Bird Fanciers for a job well done.