SALLY BLANCHARD
(Click
here for information and pictures of Sally's avian flock)
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.
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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.
More about Sally and her flock:
