Abstract
Since 1974, the American Federation of Aviculture has been successfully promoting the advancement of aviculture. The AFA Conventions began as a key channel to educate its members and future members. Combining both fun and education, the AFA Conventions feature world-renowned speakers, the latest and newest bird products by diverse avian exhibitors, and networking opportunities. Thirty years later, the AFA Convention is still the major avian event for all who have an interest in birds.
The American Federation of Aviculture (AFA) is pleased to announce its 2004 Convention Speakers for the 30th Anniversary Convention to be held August 4- 7, 2004 in San Francisco, California. Speakers will cover topics that include husbandry and management, conservation and field research, reintroduction and species recovery programs, veterinary medicine and research, incubation and neonatal husbandry,and pet bird behavior and training. These talks should be of interest to everyone from the experienced long-time breeder to the first-time bird owner. We have made every effort to ensure that the speakers, special interest symposia, round-tables, and general sessions will provide the convention participants with an opportunity to attend and experience a wide and diverse range of presentations and events.
We have scheduled three special interest symposia: ( 1) a Veterinary Symposium that addresses various aspects of avian veterinary research and avian health management, (2) the Companion Bird Symposium addresses companion bird issues ranging from behavior modification to avian health and management, and (3) a Finch and Softbill Symposium covering a range of topics from hand-feeding to conservation and reintroduction. There will also be a number of roundtables that will provide the speakers and the audience an opportunity to interact and discuss issues of importance to aviculture. Titles and speakers are subject to change without notice. Some speakers are giving more than one presentation. The 2004 Convention Speakers (listed in alphabetical order) include:
• Dr. George Amato: "Conservation Genetics of Amazon Parrots." George Amato is Director of the Science Resource Center and Senior Conservation Geneticist at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). This is absolutely ground-breaking work and should be of interest to anyone who raises or keeps Amazons.
• Mattie Sue Athan: "How Companion Parrot Behavior Modification has Changed with the Evolution of Aviculture." (Sponsored by the Quaker Parakeet Society.) Mattie Sue Athan is a well known author and companion parrot behavior consultant. She will highlight three decades of changes in the management of pet bird behavior. COMPANION BIRD SYMPOSIUM
• Laurie Baker: "Pet Shops - - The good, bad & ugly. How to be the good guy." Laurie Baker is an aviculturist and bird shop owner. This talk focuses on an important constituency within the organization - the commercial member and the independent retail shop. Should be quite interesting to both buyers of birds and sellers of birds.
• Dr. Devorah Bennu "Plumage color patterns as informative taxonomic characters in Lories." Dr. Devorah Bennu is a researcher with the American Museum of Natural History. She is also an aviculturist who specializes in lories and lorikeets. This presentation will present her research into loriine evolutionary relationships and addresses taxonomic confusion in Lories.
• Mark Bittner: "The Parrots of Telegraph Hill: A Love Story... With Wings." (Sponsored by the International Conure Association.) Mark Bittner has written a book that chronicles his observations of and interactions with the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill in San Francisco. Bittner's presentation of his story will be the "Grand Finale" talk of the convention on Saturday.
• Sally Blanchard: "Companion Parrots as a Barometer for the Health of Aviculture." (Sponsored by the Amazona Society.) Sally Blanchard is a well known speaker, writer, companion parrot consultant, and the editor of the Companion Parrot Quarterly magazine. She will share her personal experiences on the growth of the companion parrot industry in the United States. She will also present a talk in the COMPANION BIRD SYMPOSIUM.
• Dr. Donald Brightsmith: "Clay Lick use by Parrots in SE Peru." Dr. Brightsmith is the Research Director and Macaw Project Director of Rainforest Expeditions, Peru. He has done considerable research work in Tambopata and other areas of Peru and this should be a fascinating lecture.
• Dr. Susan Clubb: "Feather Damaging Behavior in Parrots." Dr. Susan Clubb is a highly respected veterinarian with years of experience both as a private veterinarian and aviculturist and as a consultant for numerous organizations. COMPANION BIRD SYMPOSIUM.
• Roland Cristo: "Aviary Construction and Management." Roland Cristo is a well known long-time aviculturist who brings his many years of expertise by providing a "hands on" talk on aviary construction and management.
• Neville Connors: "Black Cockatoos: Avicultural Husbandry and Observations from the Wild." (Sponsored by the Cockatoo Society.) Neville Connors is an Australian aviculturist who just completed a book on the Black Cockatoos. This should be a very interesting talk from the Australian perspective.
• Laurella Desborough: "Legislation in the Last 30 Years: What is our Future?" Laurella Desborough will provide the avicultural perspective of legislation in the last thirty years, from the formation of AFA to the present. (2) "The Vasa Parrot of Madagascar." Desborough has been involved in setting up a management cooperative effort for this unique and fascinating species.
• Cynthia Drury: "Quieting the Scream." Cynthia Drury is an aviculturist, lecturer, and author. This is a multimedia presentation that examines causes of excessive parrot vocalizations and provides techniques to reduce the problem.
• Javier Espinosa: "Evolution of Aviculture in Central and South America." Javier Espinosa brings an interesting personal perspective of Central and South American aviculture. Javier Espinosa recently published an article on the 'Birds of South America' in the current BIRDS-USA 2004 issue.
• Dr. Chester Gipson: "The Animal Welfare Act (AWA)." Dr. Chester Gipson is the Deputy Administrator of Animal Care of APHIS. He will update the convention participants on the status of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) regulation process for birds.
• Diane Grindol: "The History of Cockatiels." Diane Grindol is a popular writer for Bird Talk magazine who has written many books on Cockatiels. As Cockatiels are one of the most popular psittacine pets, this is a very fitting topic for the evolution of aviculture theme of the convention.
• Mark Hagen: "Trends and Philosophies of Psittacine Nutrition." Mark Hagen is the Research Director at the Hagen Avicultural Research Institute (HARi). His presentation will cover the evolution of philosophies as well as the latest research in psittacine nutrition.
• Paula Hansen: "The AFA Red Siskin Project." (Sponsored by the NFSS.) Paula Hansen is the Chairperson of the AFA Red Siskin Project. She will explain the progress that has been made in the last few years in this AFA sponsored, private-sector based conservation breeding program. FINCH AND SOFTBILL SYMPOSIUM
• Susan Healy: "The Thick-Billed Parrot." Susan Healy is the Chairperson of the American Zoo Association (AZA) Thick-billed Parrot Species Survival Plan. This zoo-based breeding program is a wonderful example of how a captive management program can generate support for both veterinary and field conservation research.
• David Holmes: "The Management and Breeding of Finches and Softbills in Australia." David Holmes is a long term finch breeder and past president of the Australian Avicultural Society. His insight into the husbandry and management of finches and softbills in Australia is extensive. FINCH AND SOFTBILL SYMPOSIUM
• Helen Horblit: "Socorro Island Dove Program." Helen Horblit of the Island Endemics Institute, will highlight the efforts to bring back the Socorro Island Dove to the wild. This is a program that was spearheaded by the late Dr. Luis Baptista who believed that aviculture could help restore the species to its native Socorro Island. FINCH AND SOFTBILL SYMPOSIUM
• Jerry Jennings: "Keynote Address:" Jerry Jennings was AFA's first president and has seen the organization through the last thirty years.
• Susie Kasielke: "Incubation: Problems and Solutions."
Susie Kasielke is the Curator of Birds at the Los Angeles Zoo. She has extensive experience with incubation of many species and has conducted numerous workshops and lectures on this topic. She will focus on problems the aviculturist might encounter in the incubation process and some of the solutions.
• Bonnie Kenk: "The Wild Parrots of Southern California." (Sponsored by the Amazona Society.) Bonnie Kenk is the Executive Director of PEAC, a rescue and education organization based in San Diego, California. She will speak of PEAC's experiences with rehabilitation of feral parrots.
• Greg Matuzak: "Reintroduction of the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) in Costa Rica: What Role does a Supplemental Feeding Program Play in the Species Survival and Conservation?" Greg Matuzak is a conservation biologist with the Amigos de las Aves Scarlet Macaw Reintroduction Project.
•Judy McElveen: "Positive Developments in Breeding of Hand-Fed Moluccan Cockatoos." Judy McElveen is an aviculturist with an interest in numerous species. Her insight and experience in breeding hand-reared Moluccan Cockatoos should be of interest to all psittacine breeders.
• Dr. Lisa Paul: "Parrot Poopology." (Sponsored by the International Conure Association.) Dr. Paul is a veterinarian in private practice in Northglenn Colorado. She has been a contributing author to Bird Talk magazine and lectures for local bird clubs across the US. She will show how to recognize normal versus abnormal droppings to help the owners in identifying health issues before serious disease problems occur. VETERINARY SEMINAR
• Rochelle Plasse: "Hand Rearing and Neonatal Care of Pigeons and Doves." Rochelle Plasse is the Avian Manager at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. Her multi-media presentation will highlight a variety of pigeons and doves and includes a hand-feeding training video originally developed for her staff which has now been used in a number of zoo training workshops.
• Dr. Branson Ritchie: "West Nile Virus Research" and "Infectious Diseases in Psittacine Birds." (Sponsored by Georgia Cage Bird Society.) Dr. Ritchie is the Assistant Professor of Avian/Zoological Medicine at the University of Georgia. He is also the co-editor of the classic work Avian Medicine: Principles and Application. He will give two presentations during the VETERINARY SEMINAR.
• Tani Robar: "Trick Training: Strengthening the human/bird bond." Tani Robar is a parrot trainer who lectures extensively and teaches bird owners how to train their birds in order to improve their relationship with the birds. COMPANION BIRD SEMINAR
• Linda S. Rubin: "Line Breeding Practices in Psittacine Husbandry." (Sponsored by the National Cockatiel Society.) Linda S. Rubin is a recognized author and breeder of Cockatiels and parrots.