Doing things a little differently.
Before I came to work with birds, I worked extensively with dogs in my own home as well as in rescues. I certified one of my companion dogs in AKC good citizenship and got him licensed as a therapy dog. Later, I also participated in a study that involved training service dogs for disabled veterans.
I fell in love with birds when I met sun conures in a pet store in 2007. I was hooked! It was many many years later that I got my first bird from a rescue, a little Sunday hybrid that I named Pidgey. He was my first step into an incredible world of beauty and wonder.
My bird world has gotten bigger and bigger, especially with the discovery of the potential that free flight unlocks in our feathered companions.
I am also a retired Navy veteran, and I am expanding my aviary in our new home state of Washington. I hope you’ll join me!
My vision
My goal is to produce well-balanced birds that serve equally well as companions, aviary birds, or breeders. I raise my birds to know they are BIRDS, and I teach and train them daily to understand and live in our human world while still being comfortable with and as birds. I seek to raise birds that are confident, adaptable, and setup for success now matter where their lives may take them.
I’m combining my experience in rescue, behavior, and free flight to shape pet birds that are the best possible versions of themselves. My goal will be to begin all my babies on the road to success with recall training and habituation to a wide variety of situations and environments, and to be available from “cradle to grave” for those who take on my birds should they need help or have questions. A better pet and a well educated owner means a team that stays together, and I believe this is a key part of keeping birds with their favorite people for years to come.
My goals for my breeding programs are focused first and foremost on preservation of rarer species, as well as working with species that do well as pets and aren’t seen as often in rescues. Many species of “green birds” are often overlooked for their potential as companions; I hope to bring some popularity back to some much-deserving species.
My ultimate goal is to have a Buffon’s macaw program and help with sustaining this beautiful and endangered species in captivity, and maybe even the wild!
Affiliations and Certifications
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The AFA is a non profit organization that supports all members of the bird keeping/breeding/raising community and industry. It provides educational conferences, legal advocacy, and maintaining situational awareness in the current pet keeping climate. If birds are a part of your life in any way, joining is a fantastic idea!
Please note that views and opinions expressed on this website are my own as a private party and should not be construed as representative of those of the AFA.
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From the site: “The objects of the Society are the study of foreign and native birds; the dissemination among the members and public of information for the care, breeding and feeding of birds in captivity; the perpetuation of species that are threatened with extinction; and the publication of matters pertaining to aviculture.” ASA provides yet another venue for aspiring aviculturists to learn, grow, and network!
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Completed Level II of the AFA’s Fundamentals of Aviculture course, which provides critical knowledge regarding the husbandry, care, and biology of birds.