Pet Bird Shortage Or Abundance?
BY LAURELLA DESBOROUGH
Copyright Laurella Desbrough (eclectusbreeder.com).
All rights reserved by the author.
It seems to
me that
there is a
rumor
circulating
about the
selling of
baby birds
by bird
breeders,
coming from
at least two
sources,
bird brokers
and adoption
and rescue
organizations.
The rumor is
that sales
are
declining.
Some
organizations
within the
adoption and
rescue
community
have been
putting out
the word
that there
are too many
birds being
raised in
the United
States. They
base this
statement on
their belief
that there
would not be
such a great
need for
adoption and
rescue if
fewer birds
were
produced.
Statements
have also
been made
that they
have a
concern for
the future
if baby
birds
continue to
be produced
and sold in
the present
numbers.
They feel
there will
be an over
supply and
that this
will result
in more
birds ending
up in
adoption and
rescue
situations.
Having been
involved in
bird rescue
and adoption
myself
during many
years, I do
not see
production
as the
problem. The
problem
could more
accurately
be stated
as:
1) life
circumstances
that force
bird owners
to give up
their birds
(moving,
illness,
divorce and
death); and,
2) birds
that become
unwanted by
owners who
have
unwittingly
abused the
birds
through
ignorance
and lack of
sensitivity
to the
nature of
birds.
The first
situation,
life
circumstance,
will always
be with us.
Birds are
long lived
and their
owners will
meet
circumstances
that do not
allow them
to keep
their birds,
whether or
not they
want to do
so.
The second
situation,
that of the
unwanted
and/or
abused bird,
can be
greatly
helped by
educating
new bird
owners. Many
new bird
owners do
not have any
idea about
the nature
of birds in
general,
much less
the nature
of such an
intelligent
and
sensitive
bird as a
parrot. Most
bird
breeders who
sell
directly to
members of
the general
public
provide
information
on the birds
they sell.
Many pet
stores
specializing
in birds put
on pet care
seminars and
provide
information
to pet
owners. Most
avian
veterinarians
have books
and videos
available on
pet bird
care.
Veterinarians
also give
detailed
information
to their
clients who
are new bird
owners.
However, it
appears that
not enough
is being
done
overall,
especially
for those
who are
purchasing
birds as
impulse
buys,
through bird
marts and
fairs, or
from pet
stores or
other
sources
lacking in
good
information
on pet bird
care.
Therefore,
it seems a
very good
idea to me
that solid
information
be made
available to
pet owners
through
detailed
videos,
pamphlets
and books.
Presently,
an excellent
paperback
book, Birds
For Dummies,
by Gina
Spadafori
and Brian L.
Speer, DVM,
is available
at most pet
stores, book
stores, and
at avian
veterinarians'
offices.
This is an
excellent
book for new
bird owners
because it
provides
solid
foundation
information
about bird
care.
Bird
Farms
I recently
conducted a
survey of
several of
the larger
bird farms
regarding
selling
their birds
(five in
Florida and
two in
California.
The majority
of the large
bird farms
breeding
parrots are
in
California,
Florida and
Texas). The
bottom line
statement
from each
breeder was
that they
did not have
enough birds
to supply
the market
demand. Some
of the
breeders
also
indicated
that they
feel the
market for
birds is on
the
increase.
These are
breeders who
make their
living with
birds. They
are not
breeding
birds as a
side income,
but as their
main source
of income.
They are
serious and
knowledgeable
about the
bird
breeding
business.
Some of
these bird
breeders
also
indicated
that they
had heard
rumors that
bird sales
were
declining.
They believe
these rumors
are being
spread to
serve the
interests of
some bird
brokers.
Bird
Brokers
There are
bird brokers
who are
reputable
and
respected
among bird
breeders
because they
provide a
price list,
and they
purchase
birds
according to
the prices
on that
list. Bird
breeders
feel
comfortable
working with
these
brokers
because they
can rely on
the price
list and the
reputation
of the
broker. Then
there are
brokers who
consistently
work toward
obtaining a
low price
per bird
from the
breeders,
and often
use such
arguments
as: "There
is an over
supply of
birds in the
market," or
"the market
for pet
birds is
declining."
These
arguments
may work
with smaller
breeders who
do not
bother to
talk to
other
breeders and
find out
what is
happening.
They take
the word of
these
brokers and
end up
selling
their birds
at a lower
price to the
broker.
Meanwhile,
the broker
takes these
same birds
to the
retail shops
and still
charges the
shops a high
price. Small
breeders who
do not
establish a
connection
with other
bird
breeders and
understand
this
purchasing
strategy are
the ones
most likely
to be
adversely
affected by
this
practice.
Changes
In The Bird
Market
Bird
breeders
indicate
that there
are some
changes in
the selling
of birds and
that, in one
sense,
people are
not buying
birds like
they used
to.
According to
Phyllis
Martin, a
Florida bird
breeder,
"Several
years ago
people
purchased
their birds
from
retailers
(pet
stores).
Today,
particularly
in the South
(definitely
in Florida),
people are
purchasing
their birds
directly
from brokers
at swap
meets and
directly
from small
breeders.
These people
have changed
the market
because
there is no
division
between
wholesale
prices and
retail
prices. The
retailers
are really
suffering
because they
cannot
compete with
the direct
market of
pet birds by
brokers and
breeders at
swap meets.
... However,
I believe
the
retailers in
the northern
states are
still doing
quite well
in marketing
companion
birds."
Educating
The New Bird
Owner
Perhaps the
direct sale
of pet birds
to buyers at
swap meets
is also
responsible
for one of
the emerging
problems
with the
market — the
lack of
adequate
information
being
provided to
the new bird
owner. Do
brokers and
small
breeders at
swap meets
provide the
same level
of
information
to their
clients as
given at a
good bird
store, from
a
professional
bird breeder
or from a
veterinarian
doing a new
bird exam?
The very
nature of
sales at
swap meets
requires
that the
seller spend
less time
with each
client in
order to
make the
one- or
two-day
event
economically
productive.
In any case,
educating
the new bird
owner
appears to
be extremely
important
for the
future
health and
happiness of
the
companion
bird and the
satisfaction
of the new
bird owner.
Permit
Reminder
For those of
you who are
breeding the
large
macaws,
cockatoos
and the
rarer
species of
Amazon
parrots, be
sure that
you complete
and return
the AFA
Census on
CITES
Appendix I
birds. The
American
Federation
of
Aviculture (AFA)
is providing
total number
counts on
each species
to the U.S.
Fish and
Wildlife
Service so
that the
final ruling
on permits
for these
birds is
positive for
aviculture.
If you do
not have a
census form,
please call
the AFA at
(602)
484-0931 to
request a
form. Please
note that
your name or
identity is
not needed.
The census
is set up to
be
anonymous.
Laurella
Desborough
has worked
since 1984
with other
aviculturists
and avian
veterinarians
to design
and
establish
the Model
Aviculture
Program
(MAP), which
is now
operational.
In 1987,
Desborough
collaborated
with two
other
breeders to
establish
the
nonprofit
Avian
Research
Fund (ARF)
seminars.
Desborough
started her
involvement
with the
American
Federation
of
Aviculture (AFA)
in 1983 as a
club
delegate and
served as
president
from 1993 to
1997.
