Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!att!osu-cis!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!bu-cs!encore!kaufman From: kaufman@encore.UUCP (Lar Kaufman) Newsgroups: rec.birds Subject: Re: hookbills, you asked for it, you know, posting to rec.birds... Message-ID: <3935@encore.UUCP> Date: 21 Oct 88 00:49:20 GMT References: <1103@leah.Albany.Edu> <1521@valhalla.ee.rochester.edu> Reply-To: kaufman@encore.UUCP (Lar Kaufman) Organization: Encore Computer Corp, Marlboro, MA Lines: 149 Lori, I understand the anxiety you have about contributing to the loss of species through keeping rare birds. Actually, a much greater threat is simply the rate of consumption of the world's resourses that we all engage in. (Underhanded insinuation follows - no offense intended.) Got nice mahogany furniture? Paneling? Eat at fast food places? Drink imported orange juice? Bananas... whatever? The real hazards for bird populations are that we want to use their habitat for other purposes. There are simply too many people in the world. (Note that I am not claiming that all these people cannot be fed, or whatever (yet) but if we continue to increase our population, it will be at the cost of other species. A typical consumer from a high-tech country causes much more damage than a subsistance slash-and-burn farmer in South America; the damage is just less directly evident. But I digress. Finding out the information you want is easier than most people suspect, Lori. All of the organizations that I am about to list came from a current issue of Bird Talk magazine. Bird Talk isn't even particularly oriented toward bird breeding, as is Cage Bird magazine, for example. This is not even close to being an exhaustive listing, but it will suffice to generate a substantial posting. Here we go... American Federation of Aviculture P.O. Box 1568 B Redondo Beach, CA 90278 - Umbrella organization sponsoring avian medical research, conservation programs for endangered species, and conferences on topics of bird breeding and avian health. Dues are $20/yr and include a very fine bi-monthly magazine. Recently, this organization advised the state of California in drafting a reasonable bill to control the sale or trade of imported, captured wild birds. This bill is pending (AB3397) and provides for an advisory panel including the California Department of Fish and Game, avicultural organizations, wildlife conservation groups, and pet dealers. Was active in putting together the joint citizen-government coalition that reestablished the only wild population of (native species) parrots in the U.S. (see next). Phone 213-372-2988. Wildlife Preservation Trust 34th St. and Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19104 - "dedicated to research captive breeding, and release of captive-bred birds in the wilds." Worked with U.S. Govt. on a program which successfully reestablished thickbilled parrots in the southern mountains of Arizona, where they had been eliminated by early hunters (good eating, as their diet is pine nuts). This program brought together parrots owned in the US as pets and birds that had been confiscated by US Customs (smuggled from Mexico). A successful release has been made and I think there are now two small flocks (~40 birds) in the wilds. Captive breeding continues by private individuals and the US govt. Other breeding successes sponsered by this group from 1985-87 include Bahaman amazon parrots, white-eared pheasants, pink pigeons, Palawan peacock pheasants, and Rothschild's mynahs. Windy City Budgerigar Association 644 Brantwood, Elk Grove, IL 60007 - Budgerigar breeding (what most US citizens call "parakeets") MCBA Adoption Program 5717 111th Avenue N. Champlain MN 55317 - A bird adoption program jointly sponsored by the Minnesota Zoological Gardens and the Minnesota Cage Bird Association. This group finds homes for unwanted birds. Prospective owners are screened. An attempt is made to place rare birds with successful, humane breeders. They will send you the guidelines for adoption on request. National Parrot Association 8 N. Hoffman Lane Hauppauge NY 11788 - Association of parrot owners/breeders. The Basic Foundation P.O. Box 47012 St. Petersburg, FL 33743 - Dedicated to conservation efforts of diverse types, mostly dealing with rainforest preservation, flora and fauna. Phone 813-526-9562 Amazona Society P.O. Box 73547 Puyallup WA 98373 - Dedicated to successful breeding of parrots of species Amazona. Currently working with the AFA to conduct a census of _Amazona_ _viridigenalis_ (green-cheeked amazon, red-crowned amazon, Mexican redheaded amazon) for the purpose of establishing a coordinated captive breeding program. The species was recently classified as endangered. Breeders reported 53 pairs in captivity, with 36 chicks hatched this year. Many others are pets; this program hopes to get a number of them enrolled in a breeding program to build a permanent captive breeding stock and to restock birds in the wilds of Mexico and Central America. San Francisco SPCA 2500 16th St. San Francisco, CA 94103 - Sally Blanchard conducts seminars on bird care on the second Sunday of each month. Call 415-554-3000 for more information. I have information on programs in avian research at several universities, as well. Specifically, the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, the Univ. of Cal., Davis, Department of Avian Sciences, North Carolina State University School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center of Texas A&M University. If you want more info on these programs check with me if you cannot find out for yourself. Remember, I found all these resources in only one issue of Bird Talk Magazine (which I am unaffiliated with, except as a subscriber). I haven't even mentioned other programs I know to be ongoing in England and the Carribean. So, Lori, get yourself a charming life-long companion (a Lorikeet, maybe?), or get a pair and breed your own. You won't regret it. And you won't be contributing to the loss of wild birds, if you follow the guidelines I mentioned in the previous posting for buying domestic-bred birds. Check out some reputable breeders. You will be impressed with the loving care these birds get, and you will also discover that almost all bird breeders are conservationists. (Large-scale breeding is hard work, risky, and not all that profitable. People breed birds because they love them, not to get rich.) -lar It's hard to tell the purpose of a bird; for relevance it does not seem to try. No line can trace, no flute exemplify its traveling; it darts without the word. Who wills devoutly to absorb, contain, birds give him pain. - Richard Wilber, "In a Bird Sanctuary" _The Beautiful Changes_ (1947) Lar Kaufman <= my opinions kaufman@multimax.arpa {bu-cs,decvax,necntc,talcott}!encore!kaufman Fidonet: 1:322/470@508-534-1842 -- Lar Kaufman <= my opinions kaufman@multimax.arpa {bu-cs,decvax,necntc,talcott}!encore!kaufman Fidonet: 1:322/470@508-534-1842