Region 4 Vice President

I first joined the National Finch and Softbill Society (NFSS) at the 2005 National Bird Show after meeting several members and discovering the NFSS Journal. I had just begun keeping finches and immediately found the journal to be an invaluable resource.

Raised on my family’s sheep ranch in western Colorado, I developed an early connection to animals and nature. Aviculture became a defining interest in my adult life, starting with the rescue of house sparrows and progressing to a Quaker parrot, then a cockatiel—an all-too-familiar path for many aviculturists. I later raised and exhibited parrots in Texas, keeping a small flock that included small conures, pionus, and caiques.

After attending the 2005 National Show, I became deeply engaged in the exhibition side of the hobby. Through showing, I met many outstanding aviculturists and competitive exhibitors, several of whom became mentors. They generously shared their knowledge and the history of the hobby. The camaraderie at the shows made all the work involved more than worthwhile.

Over the years, I have earned numerous NFSS exhibition awards, including two Champion Birds, the Exhibitor of Excellence Award, multiple Champion Exhibitor Awards, several High Point Flighted and Unflighted Awards, and the Sunbay Challenge Trophy for Best Bred-by-Exhibitor at the National Bird Show—all achieved with American Self Society Finches.

I have volunteered in a variety of roles across multiple avicultural organizations, including serving as editor and webmaster for several clubs. I have served on the boards of the NFSS, National Bird Show (NBS), and American Federation of Aviculture (AFA), as well as local bird clubs. My writing has appeared in BirdTalk magazine, the AFA Watchbird, and the NFSS Journal. These roles—and the hobby itself—have provided a meaningful and creative outlet beyond my professional career.

After retiring from corporate life, I relocated to New Mexico. I am an avid hobby photographer, and wild birding has introduced me to new friendships and adventures. I enjoy traveling and exploring my adopted state, and I am grateful to continue giving back to the avicultural community by serving as editor of the NFSS Journal, helping to promote the hobby that has had such a lasting impact on my life.

Cheryl Burns