Q:  I am a breeder and I don't know where to find answers to these questions. Are there some birds that are still importing into the U.S.? When did we stop importing parrots? How do I replenish my stock if I can’t import birds?

Jean Pattison, also known as "The African Queen," explains:

The 1992 Wild Bird Conservation Act restricted the importation of birds into the U.S. There are guidelines written into these regulations that will allow birds imported under certain conditions. It is difficult, and usually done with a group of individuals that are all working with the same species, known as a cooperative breeding program. Visit the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/ for the complete details.

More and more, we as bird breeders are going to find it harder to replenish breeding stock. You should join a specialty group or groups that work with the species of birds you are breeding to help you network. Breeders in these specialty organizations are often willing to trade birds to introduce new blood lines. Also, many cooperative breeding programs first develop from within these specialty groups.