Abstract
The whole thing really began in
India in 1969 while Jennings was
traveling. He bought a pair of Tricolored
Nuns from a roadside vendor.
Although his travels lasted a full year,
Jennings kept this pair of birds with
him in his car - a mobile aviary, as it
were. He was hooked.
Eventually Jennings returned to
Southern California and settled down
to work. He also began a bird hobby
to satisfy his fascination with finches
-a hold over from his travels with the
Nuns. I've had the enjoyment of
watching Jennings, the bird hobbiest
develop into Jennings, the serious
conservationist, avict:lturist and
owner of one of the nicest bird farms
I've seen - Emerald Forest Bird
Gardens, Inc., in Fallbrook, California.
I'm not sure if Emerald Forest is
labor efficient or cost effective but I
don't really care. It's the pristine
beauty and tranquility of the location
that I enjoy and the way in which
Jennings has blended the captive collection
of birds in with the local environment,
and the environment is
rather wild and natural. Native wildlife
includes coyotes, bobcats, the occasional
cougar, racoons, opossums,
and skunks. Most of these critters pose
a predatory threat to the captive birds
(fat meals) so Jennings has had to take
special precautionary measures to
keep the varmints out and the birds in.
The area is also home to 12 kinds of
snakes including four species of rattlers.
The property has a natural pond
about an acre in size that attracts
numerous species of wild birds. Some
you won't find in the average back
yard are Great Ibis, Cormorants, three
species of heron, Mallard Ducks,
Green-winged Teal and American
Wigeon. Dusk brings on the chirping
and booming of two species of tree
frogs and at least one huge bullfrog.
The Jennings home and office overlooks
a large valley. It's the valley that
contains the pond and aviaries. The
aviaries are scattered about seemingly
at random but the effect is excellent.
There are enough hills, gullies and
glades that many of the aviaries are
rather isolated. The birds have a great
deal of privacy and, in some cases,
probably feel they are still in their own
jungle habitat.
There are 250 flights that include a
few large pasture-like enclosures. The
pond is fenced also. Some aviaries are
constructed in the old· steel-frame-onthe-
ground, traditional manner
(except they are on cement pads)
while others are of wooden construction
and are actually on the dirt. There
are numerous banks of the "California
Breeder" aviaries which are suspended
from frameworks so the birds
never get on the ground. Jennings was
happy to point out that all the aviaries
are designed to be serviced from the
outside. This gives the birds a great
sense of security and, of course, is
easier for the attendant.
In addition to the aviaries there are
several important outbuildings on the
farm. The 1,000 sq. foot nursery is
located somewhat in the center of the
property. During the heavy breeding
season the nursery is fully utilized.
During the off season, the odd handful
of babies are cared for and hand
fed in the main house. There is a large
hospital room that is self contained
even to having a full shower installed;
and a new kitchen that will contain all
the modern equipment necessary to
provide fresh, clean food for the large
numbers of birds is currently under
construction.
Emerald Forest Bird Gardens really
does house a lot of birds. There are
110 species on board. They are
divided about one third parrots, one
third soft-bills and one third waterfowl.
I remember when Jennings had
a very excellent collection specializing
in various finches. Over the years his
interests have expanded and the current
collection reflects this.
In the soft-billed category Jennings
specializes in the Ramphastidae -
toucans, toucanettes and aracaris.
Indeed, the world's largest and most diverse collection of toucans is right
here at Emerald Forest Bird Gardens.
Jennings has 20 species of this colorful
and somewhat absurd family of birds.
Their vivid splashes of color are
appropriate to their clown-like antics.
Entertaining birds, these.
For Jennings, however, there is a
serious side to keeping the world's
largest toucan collection. He breeds
them. The tropical and nee-tropical
habitats of many toucans are disappearing
quickly. Many toucan species
are not established in aviculture at all
and other species are represented by
only a few pairs in America. Jennings
has established a non-profit Toucan
Preservation Center that has funded
toucan research in the jungles of Peru.
They have a 60' boat to explore the
waterways and glean information on
the resident toucan populations. The
Toucan Preservation Center has published
two scientific papers on their
work.
In connection with the toucan
research, Jennings owns a ranch in the
Costa Rican rainforest where he hopes
to preserve a suitable habitat to keep
and raise toucans. His goal there and
in Fallbrook is to establish large captive
breeding populations of the taucan
family. With trade in wild-caught
birds essentially over, this captivebred
population will serve as a source
for zoos and other serious aviculturists.
Jennings feels that not many of
the soft-billed species will make it in
aviculture in the long run. When they
can't be replenished from the wild,
they will eventually die out in aviculture.
He loves the challenge of breeding
soft-bills --especially the toucans.
I've already said that I've known
Jennings for 20 years. He is an authentic
character who has travelled the
world and has many wild adventures
to tell about - mostly involving birds
and learning more about them. All this
while I've enjoyed knowing Jennings
and listening to him. No matter where
you stand regarding Jerry, bosom
buddy or disinterested bystander, you
have to give him credit where it's due.
I consider him to be the world's foremost
expert regarding the toucan
family in aviculture. He has raised 17
of the 20 species he keeps and, of the
17, at least seven were world first
breedings.
Although the toucans, toucanettes
and aracaris dominate the Emerald
Forest Bird Garden collection in
importance and achievement, there
are numerous other soft-bills that I
was very glad to see. The Fairy Bluebirds
have a beautiful, large aviary that
shows them off to great advantage.
The tanagers, troupials, mot-mots,
touracos and hornbills are birds you
don't see in many collections.
In the parrot department, Jennings
has seven species of macaws, nine
species of cockatoos, Hawk-headed
Parrots, several eclectus species, a few
Australian parakeets, and some little
hanging parrotlets. Most of these birds
reproduce.
The waterfowl are not as easy to
observe as many of them inhabit the
swampy pond and have plenty of
ccver. I enjoyed immensely just sitting
and watching the action on the pond.
It is a real nature treat. The Purple
Gallinules are my favorites but the
Black-necked Swans run a close
second. Actually, at the time of my
visit in early February '93, the waterfowl
collection was in some disarray.