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Sally
Blanchard
Artist, Author & Behavior Consultant
One of the most recognizable names among ‘bird
people,’ Sally Blanchard is well known for her theories on companion
parrot behavior. She has studied and worked with birds for over 35
years. Having been a bird sculptor for over twenty years, Sally is an
avid bird watcher. Instead of just checking birds off of a life list as
she saw new species, she became fascinated with what they did and most
of all, trying to figure out why they did it. She started a lifelong
collection of bird books, which now numbers over 2,500. Over thirty
years ago, Sally met a fellow wood carver who was also a bird breeder
with a wonderful collection of raucous Amazons. The combination of bird
sitting the Amazons and a bird watching expedition to Costa Rica,
kindled a passionate interest in parrots.
Although there is no academic degree in ‘companion parrot behavior,’
through the years Sally has taken college level courses in animal
behavior, anatomy, biology, field ecology, zoology, sociology,
ornithology, psychology, anthropology, creative writing, childhood
development, and teaching. All have played a part in her thought process
about parrots. In college, Sally taught a human anatomy laboratory
course. With a B.A. in art, continuing studies towards a Masters degree,
and a teaching credential, Sally taught high school for a few years
before turning to sculpture for her living. Gradually she became more
and more interested in parrots. When injury from an automobile accident
and a pinched nerve forced an end to her successful career as a bird
sculptor, she transitioned into a full-time career working with parrots.
When she purchased her first parrot, a wild-caught Double-yellow head
Amazon Parrot, Sally could not believe how little information there was
about their proper care in captivity. The breeder had sold Payaso
because he was an "extra male" in their new aviary. Payaso was never a
happy bird and, as a novice, Sally was not sure how to make a difference
in the bird's life. Eventually it was discovered that Payaso was
actually a hen, and the breeders were delighted to take her back as a
partial payment for their first baby, Paco. She was named by the
breeders as a male but was also a hen. (She is now over 30 years old.
The Laughing Parrot Gallery was named after Paco because she loves to
laugh!)
As a former teacher, it seemed natural for Sally to learn as much as she
could about parrots to pass on to other parrot owners. She soon started
taming wild caught parrots for both pet shops and individual owners,
which led to many in-home consultations. Knowing that experience is the
best teacher, Sally has, at one time or another, worked in most aspects
related to parrots. She has volunteered in wildlife rehab, worked in a
bird shop, worked with parrots in an aviary, hand-fed chicks, and had
her own parrot-related product distribution business. Working with
virtually hundreds of parrots and talking to thousands of parrot owners
over two decades has been her best classroom for companion parrot
behavioral work.
After moving back to California in 1985, Sally continued her in-home and
telephone consultations, taught a monthly parrot care and behavior
seminar at the San Francisco SPCA for over six years, and started doing
lectures throughout the United States. The first of her many innovative
parrot behavior articles was published in Bird Talk in 1988 and Sally
wrote Bird Talk's Parrot Psychology column for over ten years
from 1991 to 2001. These early articles were the first to emphasis
non-aggressive taming of wild-caught parrots, the importance of early
socialization for domestically raised parrot chicks, and the use of
verbal commands and cues such as "UP" and "DOWN" in maintaining a
parrot’s pet potential. Her groundbreaking ideas about eating and
foraging as a social behavior, transition weaning and the development of
food independence, the differences between imprinting and social
bonding, behavioral dysfunction as a result of poor socialization and
weaning trauma, winning trust through energy calming and the empathic
response of companion parrots, and developing the companion potential of
parrots all evolved into her highly respected theory of ‘Nurturing
Guidance.’
Convinced there was a need for in-depth information about companion
parrot behavior and care, Sally Blanchard started her own publication in
1991. Since then the Pet Bird Report (now the Companion Parrot
Quarterly), with its accurate, innovative, and entertaining articles
has steadily grown in size, reputation and number of subscribers.
Although producing the Companion Parrot Quarterly takes the
majority of Sally's time, she is working on several books about specific
parrot species and parrot behavior. She also continues to present
seminars throughout the United States and Europe, and has been invited
to speak at all of the major North American avicultural conventions.
Sally has illustrated and authored many books, including The
Companion Parrot Handbook and The Beak Book.
Visit
www.companionparrot.com for more information on Sally and her new
store, The Laughing Parrot Gallery. |
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Jean
Pattison "African Queen"
Author, Artist and Breeder of African Species
Jean Pattison, known as "The African Queen",
currently lives in Lakeland, Florida, where she and her husband Tim
operate their breeding facility. In 1984 she acquired a pair of Senegals,
from there her fascination with African parrots grew to include the
African Grey, and then naturally more Poicephalus. Her studied
observation of the Senegals taught her about behavior and social
patterns that she was able to apply to other African parrots in her
care. Through the years her collection has grown to over 100 pairs of
African parrots, including an impressive collection of the Un-cape
parrot. Jean was one of the founding members of the Florida Federation
of Aviculture. Inc., as well as the Organization of Professional
Aviculturists.
She has lectured at the national conference of The American Federation
of Aviculture (AFA), and at AVES International in Australia, the Midwest
Avian Research Expo, the Bird Clubs of Virginia national convention and
many other national conventions and symposiums, and bird clubs
throughout the United States. She is past President of the African
Parrot Society, and has written for many of the major publications, such
as Bird Talk, Birds USA, Bird Breeder, Pet Product News, and the AFA
Watchbird. She has helped field researchers, and conservation groups,
with her knowledge of the habits, and husbandry of the African Parrots.
Authors have consulted with her when writing books on African Parrots,
and she has co-authored a book, African Parrots, with Rick Jordan that
is an overview of African parrots.
Visit
www.afqueen.com
to learn more about Jean Pattison's birds and art work. |
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Steven C.
Latta, PhD
Assistant Director of Conservation and Field
Research at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh
Dr. Steven C. Latta is Assistant Director of
Conservation and Field Research at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh. A
native of Michigan, he was educated at Kalamazoo College, Earlham
College, the University of Michigan, and the University of Missouri
where he received his Ph.D. in 2000. He has worked for more than 15
years in the Dominican Republic and the West Indies, where his research
has focused on the winter ecology of migratory birds, and understanding
how migrant and resident species respond to natural and anthropogenic
change to their habitat. Other work has focused on the ecology and
conservation of endemic species such as todies and the rare Hispaniolan
Crossbill, nesting success to evaluate population trends, the
distribution and effects of the avian malaria parasite in the Caribbean
and North America, reproduction in the Blue-footed Boobies of the
Galapagos Islands, and population dynamics in high Andean habitats in
Ecuador.
Beyond research, Dr. Latta has worked
extensively to build capacity within Latin American partner
organizations, and has designed monitoring programs in the Caribbean,
Mexico, Central America, and Ecuador. He has designed and presented
training workshops for more than 400 biologists in field research
techniques and the skills needed to interpret and apply monitoring data
to conservation planning, and he has sponsored more than 40 biologists
in internships to help them gain expertise to work independently and
establish permanent careers in conservation biology.
In 2006 Princeton University Press published his book Birds of the
Dominican Republic and Haiti. The guide promises to fill a large
void in birdwatching, conservation, and environmental education needs as
the first comprehensive field guide devoted to the birds of the island.
Beyond providing a means of identifying bird species, the guide also
provides current information on the biology and ecology of Hispaniola’s
avifauna, and hopes to inspire a new generation of birdwatchers,
ornithologists, and conservationists. Through grants to the authors, the
book is also available in Spanish as Aves de la República
Dominicana y Haiti, and in French as Les oiseaux d’Haïti et de la
République Dominicaine.
Visit
www.aviary.org for
more information on The National Aviary and the conservation projects
being conducted around the world. |
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Peter S. Sakas,
DVM
Master of Ceremonies
Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center, Niles, IL
Dr. Peter S. Sakas received his BA in
biology from Northwestern University in 1974, his MS in
Zoology-Entomology from Auburn University in 1979 and DVM from the
University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1983. While at
Auburn, he studied the immune response of dogs with canine heartworm
disease and developed a test for the detection of occult heartworm
disease in dogs and cats. He served on the faculty at Auburn University
as a lecture instructor in Animal Biology in 1979. Dr. Sakas has been
involved in avian practice since 1980 when he began working summers as a
student extern at Niles Animal Hospital ( Niles, IL) under the direction
of the noted avian veterinarian Dr. T.J. Lafeber.
Dr. Sakas became a staff veterinarian upon graduation in 1983 and bought
the practice in 1985. The hospital has a staff of over 35 employees,
including four full time and one part time veterinarian. The hospital
has a four year accreditation (the highest level) from the American
Animal Hospital Association. He lectures frequently to veterinary
associations, veterinary colleges, bird clubs, wildlife organizations
and avicultural groups.
Dr. Sakas has written numerous articles related to avian medicine and
pet bird care. He has authored the avian section of American Animal
Hospital Association’s publication, Exotic Formulary. (A book of drug
dosages for exotic pets). He is also the author of book, “Essentials of
Avian Medicine. A Guide for Practitioners” second edition, also
published by AAHA. He has contributed to other avian books as well. He
has served (and is still serving) on the boards of several veterinary
organizations and has held directorships for various humane and wildlife
associations. He is on the advisory board for Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity
at Northwestern University and is the editor of the alumni newsletter.
He is active in various community activities, including serving as a
Little League Manager for several years…..and still doing so.
Dr. Sakas is a co-founder of the Northern Illinois Parrot Society and
will be the Master of Ceremonies for our seminar. Visit the Niles Animal
Hospital & Bird Medical Center website at
www.nilesanimalhospital.com for more information on Dr. Sakas. |
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