Hidden Gems: Meet Susanne Cochran of Avalon Aviary LLC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Susanne Cochran.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always loved birds. In 1980 I got two parrots, an African Grey and a Blue Fronted Amazon. The Amazon adapted well to my home but the Grey was totally terrified. I researched and found out that over 400,000 parrots of different kinds were being imported to the USA annually. Accounting for attrition, at least 800,000 were taken from the wild then. It was no wonder that some were terrified of people, having been ripped from their families and friends and terrified in the hands of people. The demand wouldn’t go down in the USA, and I thought maybe I could make a difference by raising birds to be adjusted to being in a home and enjoy interacting with people. There were very few parrot breeders then, so I had to let the birds teach me what they needed. Since then I have sought out others with experience in breeding, behavior and veterinary medicine, and traded insights to improve the lives of my birds, I have sought platforms where I could share my knowledge with my customers and the world at large through presentations and classes. I have been the Western Regional Director for the American Federation of Aviculture, and I teach at my store, at Front Range Community College and at CSU Vet Teaching Hospital. I have also participated in many public events to raise awareness for the needs of parrots. Did you know there are more than 750 species and subspecies of parrot? Most of them have never even been studied in the wild. There is so much more we need to know! I have twice participated in field biology to learn more about the birds in the wild, and I was honored to be invited to ACTP in Germany to participate in the celebration of the signing of their agreement with the Brazilian government regarding the release of the Spix macaws (a de-extinction event).

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Between having high-end professional job, animal rights activists, local laws and mentally ill employees trying to sabotage me it has been a rough road. Not to mention heartbreaks and trying to learn from every mistake.

As you know, we’re big fans of Avalon Aviary LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I have a breeding aviary and large bird store where we also provide bird grooming, boarding and shelter services. We are know for helping people with their birds, for being very picky about the homes our birds go to through in-depth interviews, for providing the highest-quality products, and for our classes and events. We seek to help prospective homes understand that birds do not understand the concept of being a pet, when you take on a bird you are becoming a flock member! And while we are mammals and can relate to being a mammal, birds are anatomically very different and their requirements are significantly different. Avalon Aviary has existed as a business since 1987 and has always put the birds first, striving to make a difference in the lives of the birds in our care as well as in the lives of our customers’ birds. We provide a clean, safe environment where birds can have a sense of flock as well as human interaction. Our store has an exceptional assortment of safe toys, cages, play stands and food for pet birds. We offer “Birdie Brunch” where people who have birds can come and socialize with other people and their birds. Our groomer is an IAABC (International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants) Certified Bird Behavior Consultant, so the birds are treated with care and respect and understanding while they are being evaluated and groomed. We also have both long term and short term boarding services, and the boarders have a fun time while in our care, kind of like going to summer camp. We are proud of our contributions to the welfare of birds in our community.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think there will be more and more restrictions on the sale and ownership of birds as companions. Birds are a significant target of animal rights activists due to their long lives, intelligence and environmental sensitivities. I believe the only way to weather these challenges is to provide genuine value, knowledge and service.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.avalonaviary.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AvalonAviary