A Weekend at AVES

I ventured down to Grafton last week for the biennial AVES Parrot Convention. This is an event hosted by the Northern Rivers Avicultural Society in NSW and features 3 days of presentations from International and Australian aviculturists. The 2009 programme featured some really fine talks and I was most impressed with the two lectures from Ricardo Valentin on the Puerto Rican Amazon Conservation Project. Ricardo is a fantastic aviculturist, a dedicated observer of the behaviour of his birds, and a keen breeding problem solver – skills that have made a huge contribution to the increase in numbers of Puerto Rican Amazons over the past 10 years. Ricardo’s presentations exemplified the critical partnership roles that can be established between aviculture and conservation. Inspiring stuff!

 The AVES weekend finishes off with a traditional BBQ at Casuarina Parrot Gardens. Whilst wandering around the aviaries I took the photo above of an Umbrella Cockatoo and a Galah in synchronous preening. They were quite a pair and a wonderful example of the benefits of social housing of compatible parrots in captive environments.

 If you missed out on AVES then make sure you’re planning a trip to Brisbane in July 2010 to be a part of the Parrots 2010 Convention. This will be held over three days from July 2^nd to 4^th and will feature an innovative programme of breakout lectures covering two streams – Avian Husbandry, Breeding & Handrearing and Avian Behaviour, Training & Enrichment. You can register your interest via the Parrots 2010 website at www.parrotsociety.org.au/Parrots2010/index.html. I will have plenty more to `blog’ about on Parrots 2010 as the event draws nearer!