Shirley is an aviculturist and agriculturist.
She is a breeder of African Greys, both Congo and Timneh African Greys, Blue & Gold
Macaws, Greenwing Macaws, Scarlet Macaws and Buffon's Macaws. Shirley and her husband, Joel, own a small
cattle ranch, J/S Beefmaster Ranch, in South Central Texas. They also raise registered
Beefmaster cattle on their 112 acre ranch.
Bignest Aviary is a small Model Aviary Program
(M.A.P.) Certified aviary located on their ranch near Shiner, TX. Bignest Aviary has over
35 breeding pairs, mostly African Greys. The African Greys are raised in an African Greys
Only building, which she designed using the guidelines of M.A.P.
Shirley was born and raised in Arlington
Heights, IL. She became fascinated with birds as a child and bred her first birds, English
Budgies, in 1958 in Arlington Heights. She has also raised many domestic species
of poultry and game birds from eggs including several species of chickens, ducks, geese,
guineas and quail. Shirley has been in Texas since 1980. Joel
was born and raised in Texas.
Shirley is a Certified Avian Specialist and a
member of Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW, Coastal Bend Companion Bird
Club, Pet Industry
Joint Advisory Council (P.I.J.A.C.), Commercial Member of American Federation of
Aviculturist, Avicultural Society of America, Member of M.A.P., and an Honorary Member of
The River City Bird Club. Joel
and Shirley are Lifetime Members of Beefmaster Breeders United. Joel is a Lifetime Member
of the VFW and a W.W.II Veteran.
