About the Flock
Flock socialization at The Blues Conservatory has, for all appearances, the look and feel of a playground for
juveniles. The first squawkin' in the morning is the kids arguing over perch position or trying to commandeer one of the swings.
The practical side is that they acclimate to the group and become part of its dynamics. In that process, they form
sexual bonds over time that leads them to mate selection and a better breeding pair.
Not everyone in the flock is a potential breeder. Rhapsody was totally hand-reared because her parents, Founder Pair #2 were
mutilating hatchlings when her egg was laid. We were forced to Human Surrogate Parent her because there was no macaw surrogate available
at the time she hatched on Oct. 12, 1999.
Rhapsody's role today is as an interim "nanny." We put her in a separate cage with a young BTM prior to that bird's introduction into
the flock. This procedure seems to make for a much less traumatic transition. Also, Rhapsody tends to be the "oldest bird in charge" when she is in the flock and takes care of
her latest "new kid." Others currently in The Flock are:
Ruth Brown Blues hatched in June 2004 at The Blues Conservatory and stayed in the Broillet Aviary with her parents Bogie and Eureka until May 2005.
Virginia hatched Jan. 1, 1997 to the wild-caught pair Sid and Cookie in Virginia. She joined The Blues Conservatory in August of that year. After some time in the flock, she and Precious were moved into their own breeding cage. They spent seven years together but never nested and appeared to have become incompatible. In March 2005, Virginia moved back into the flock.
Eric Clapton Blues hatched in July 2005 at The Blues Conservatory and stayed in the Broillet Aviary with his parents Bogie and Eureka until the end of April 2006.
Help The Flock
as a Parenting Partner
Help The Flock
as an Honorary Curator
Help The Flock
with an In Memoriam
Honorary Bird Curators
Katy Secor, Massachusetts
Mike Keens/Jungle Toys, California
Rockie Mooney, California
Katherine Belzowski, Florida
Wasatch Avian Education Society, Utah
Parenting Partners
Kevin Lenaghan, North Carolina
Peggy Hunt, Maryland
Paola Rossi, Roma, Italy
Angelina Hathaway, Texas
Richard Lawrence Milton, California
Janet K. Levy, Indiana
Birgit Miranda, Colorado
Marleila Springer, Colorado
Julie Denoyer, Michigan
Lori Bardzik, California
Willynne Tully, Nevada
Mrs. Helen Paterson, Scotland
In Memoriam
Lorrie Mitchell, California, in Memory of blues singer Ruth Brown
Arizona Seed Cracker Society in Memory of Jo Plotske
Jessica Eriksmoen, New York, in Memory of Gurvis Brodnax
Artist Arlene Powers surrounded by BTM watercolors she donated to BE.
Chase Kimball, President of the Wasatch Avian Education Society,
accepts an Honorary Curator certificate from Laney after she gave a
presentation to the club in January 2005.
