Chad Jensen interview with Dick Schroeder in BIRDTALK'S November, 2008 issue.

Q: What sparked your interest in keeping birds?
A: When I was 11, Dick Schroeder gave my family and I a tour of his aviaries. I knew then that I had reached the point of no return!

Q: What species do you keep?
A: I currently have African greys, black-headed caiques, red-sided and Solomon Island's Eclectus, rose-breasted cockatoos, black-spotted barbets, collared aracari, curl-crested aracari, ivory-billed aracari, Guyana toucanets, keel-bill toucans and Swainson's toucans.

Q: Why do you keep birds?
A: They are a huge stress reliever for me! When I am out with the birds, I can forget about everything and just enjoy them.

Q: Who do you talk to about breeding birds?
A: I regularly talk to Dick Schroeder, Jerry Jennings, James Miller, Paula Strasser, Miguel Rocha, and Sheri and Jaime Hanna. There are also some Yahoo! groups that are very good to learn from. The one I am most active in is Toucans_Ramphastids. You can find a list of all the Yahoo! groups that I feel are very informative on my website, www.bpaviary.com. They are one of the best places to find information because so many aviculturists are active on them. If no one has an answer, they can usually point you to someone who might! They really are an invaulable resource. I am also an active member in the Aviculture Society of America (ASA).

Q: Do you have any mentors? Who have you found most helpful?
A: Dick Shcroeder has always been there, since I was 11 years old, to answer any questions I might have. Even after 13 years, he still gets a phone call from me every couple of days with even more questions! Since I have moved my focus onto Toucans, I have been spending a lot of time with Jerry Jennings in order to achieve a higher understanding of how toucans are bred and raised.

Q: Have you made any changes in the way you keep birds?
A: Contantly! Most recently, I built larger flights and added wireless cameras to my nest logs for some of my toucans so I can observe them in the logs.

Q: Do you have any advice for those interested in aviculture?
A: Find someone trustworthy in aviculture to go to when you have questions. Do as much research as you possibly can before you acquire any birds, and continue researching and learning once you have birds. There is always room for improvement, and one must accept that in order to be successful in aviculture.

Q: What do you love most about keeping birds?
A: I love the babies! It is so fun being able to watch them grow.

Q: What do you hate most about keeping birds?
A: One of my most dreaded parts of my job is washing food bowls, but the absolute worst part is birds are a 365-day-a-year job. My whole life is planned around the birds' schedule. I can never make plans in the morning because I have about three hours of bird chores. It is very difficult to travel or even to be gone overnight. I am very meticulous about how each pair is fed, and I always want to be there so that I know that it is done right, especially when I have babies in the nest.

Q: What species do you enjoy working with the most?
A: Toucans in general are my favorite, but if I had to pick one, it would be the curl-crested aracari. They are such beautiful birds, and they are so animated. They never stop moving. Nothing compares to the plastic-like feathers on the tops of their heads and, when tame, they make absolutely amazing pets!

Q: What species do you find the most challenging to work with?
A: Curl-crested aracaris are defnitely the most challenging for me. There have been very few of them bred in captivity, so there is very little information available on them.

Q: What do you still want to learn?
A: Anything and everything I possibly can. There is so much to learn and so many people out there to learn from.

Q: What do you feel is the most important concern for new aviculturists today?
A: So many species have disappeared from United States aviculture already and more are on their way out. Too many aviculturists today work alone and do not communicate and trade bloodlines. That is truly disastrous for the species.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now?
A: Still in Southern California, only on a larger piece of property...with even more birds! I want to start working with more softbills like corvids, hornbills, mynahs and turacos.