Steve Hartman has a management degree from the Ohio State University, College of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources. An interest in evolutionary biology and behavior, combined with 30 years of construction experience, has provided a unique combination of skills that enabled the development of Hartman Aviary.

He is has been a guest lecturer at The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine over the past ten years and, has lectured at over 25 major conventions in North America. Hartman Aviary opened its own lab facility to The Ohio State University Veterinary School to provide an accredited course for students interested in avian medicine and research. Steve also offers consultation to Aviculturists, Veterinarians and Field Conservationists.

Patsy is the aviary volunteer manager and parrot entertainment director. Our parrots are friendly and very interested in human interaction. During Saturday Open House and throughout the week, Patsy supervises many children and adult volunteers. She and her volunteers work with the adult parrots and baby parrots to provide entertainment and socialization.

At home, Patsy has a flock of her own. Patsy is managed and supervised by her four parrots. They include Sam the 27 year old blue front amazon, a 17 year old double yellow head named George, Mini the 20 year old red vented cockatoo and Spring, a rambunctious two year old military macaw.

Patsy also runs a parrot day care/boarding for vacationing parrot owners.

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Steve's initial goal was to selectively breed a better pet Blue and Gold Macaw over a 20-year period. A breeding facility was developed and 25 ex-pet Blue and Gold Macaws were collected.

The initial strategy was to develop a well-functioning flock of parrots from stock that had been raised in a pet environment. These birds would eventually learn the appropriate social behavior necessary for a parrot to live in a flock, select a mate and then successfully reproduce.

Housing large numbers of parrots in a breeding farm environment requires the individuals to be able to communicate well with each other. Most of these birds spent the first six months of life in a quarantine facility or pet store. By the time a parrot is six months old, they have learned approximately 90% of everything they will learn in their life. Most captive environments do not provide the stimulus necessary to develop a full functioning, flock oriented parrot. Over the past 20 years, Steve has studied the needs, wants and desires of parrots to determine what steps are necessary to reprogram their brains to a level acceptable for long term survival in a captive flock environment.

Due to a lack of interest in selective breeding, by other psittacine aviculturists, Hartman Aviary expanded their attention to over 40 species. Understanding the needs, wants and desires of parrots allows them to properly breed and nurture wild or tame individuals.

By determining the natural needs of parrots through insight and environmental research, Steve was able to develop the initial processes of domestication. This domestication process requires careful selection of appropriate genetic lines to enhance the kind and gentle traits of parrots and eliminate the aggressive traits that are useful in the wild. We have selectively produced to the third and fourth generation on several species. This shift to domestication will allow parrots to live happier lives in our captive environments.

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There are several professional parrot organizations in the United States and around the world. These groups have multiple agendas including conservation, medical research, parrot behavior and parrot reproduction. Steve has actively participated in these organizations for the past 20 years. His participation has ranged from advisor to board member to president while holding a variety of offices in several organizations. Hartman Aviary is also the advisor and rehab facility for the Capital Area Humane Society in Central Ohio.

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Fifteen years ago medical knowledge of parrots was primitive. Today we are achieving the diagnostic abilities found in other areas of veterinary medicine. In order to develop the medical knowledge needed at Hartman Aviary, Steve established his own clinic to satisfy many of the aviary's veterinary needs at the facility. This clinic, with its large collection of birds, allowed them to open the facility to Ohio State University Vet School Teaching Hospital. For over ten years, the University has utilized the aviary, through an accredited course, for training junior vet students in outpatient clinical care of parrots.

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Steve has been writing and lecturing to students, aviculturists and pet owners throughout North America for 15 years. These groups include parrot related magazines, OSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Big Walnut School District, bird clubs and all of the major avicultural conventions and symposiums. Topics have included: nutrition, selective breeding, sexual development, hormonal development and behavior, lighting, ventilation, disease control, aviary design, aviary management, flocking, conservation, pet behavior and sequential development of the avian brain.

Steve Hartman and Hartman Aviary have been featured on many television news shows, interviews, and agricultural oriented programs. Almost yearly, the aviary is a featured story in major newspapers. During 2001, Steve Hartman had a 15-minute monthly segment on a local Columbus, Ohio “News at Noon” television show.

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