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History of The Hookbill Hobbyists Some parrot fanciers in San Diego were dissatisfied that there was not an organization oriented to Psittacine birds. Other birds, such as finches, budgies and canaries, had their clubs, but one for parrots was missing. To help fill this void, a group of 36 parrot minded people got together on July 16, 1977 at a home in Mira Mesa to form this country's FIRST Psittacine club, THE HOOKBILL HOBBYISTS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. Under the guidance of Rhonda Eagle (our first president) and her friend, Robin Burgett, (yes, that's EAGLE and ROBIN)., the club motto became "Dedicated to furthering Psittacine knowledge through fellowship of hobbyists and communication with the public." We started our first Annual Bird Fair in 1977 and it has grown and improved ever since with attendance exceeding over 15,000 people. In 1979, the Hookbill Hobbyists, working closely with the AFA and the San Diego Zoo, was instrumental in getting the United States Customs Service to change their procedure of always destroying smuggled birds that were caught. In 1981, we had our first display at the Del Mar Fair and we have won numerous awards every year since. We hold our monthly meetings on the second Sunday of the month at 6:30 PM at the Mite Bingo Hall located at 1365 North Johnson Ave in El Cajon. At our meetings we have had numerous speakers from around the world, slide presentations, professional bird trainers, picnics, dinners and a wonderful raffle table with birds and bird related items. The success of the Hookbill Hobbyists can be traced directly to one factor: we are blessed with an abundance of unselfish, hardworking and dedicated individuals who believe that promoting Psittacine bird care is worth giving up a "few" hours of their time. For more information, please call The Parrot Hotline at (619) 479-2114 |
