Cage & Aviary Birds

Cage & Aviary Birds is written by bird experts for bird fanciers and is packed with club, show and bird related news, advice, birds for sale and comment. Established in 1902, Cage & Aviary Birds provides a wealth of practical advice and tips from the top names in the bird world, plus opinion, controversy, species and hobbyist profiles and nostalgia.

NCA clarifies PL insurance cover for affiliated clubs

BS issues support plea

QUOTE of the WEEK

Also in the news…

First prehistoric bird without teeth is discovered

Seabird tracking sheds new light on migration

European countries report psittacosis outbreaks

Park Life

LEGAL UPDATES: events and registration • In a momentous week, effective lobbying by fanciers looks to have saved bird shows and sales in Scotland. Meanwhile, DEFRA has finally published its follow-up to last year’s consultation on registration and now promises a ‘public awareness campaign’! Here’s an interim summary of the new developments

Cage & Aviary Birds

More than just a memory • Although the elegant red-crested finch was far better known to birdkeepers 30 years ago, pairs do persist in this country and GARY BRALSFORD would welcome any initiative to restore the bird’s popularity. If kept correctly, it can be relatively straightforward to breed

Gloster Q&A: Rene Alssema • Do ‘new colour’ Glosters all derive from cross-breeding with colour canaries? No, says top breeder RENE ALSSEMA – and we can expect more colour mutations to crop up in nests of pure-bred Glosters as selective breeding progresses. PAUL BURNETT reports

Breeding hopes for reedlings and Pekins • As well as his native finches and canaries, DAVID URMSTON is encouraging his softbills to nest and in his regular bulletin explains how a new nest design has made its début in his aviaries. He also explains his feeding régime and gives his reasons for not offering supplements to any of his birds

Opposite head ache • We all love a challenge, don’t we? Well, pairing the crested breeds can often be a good one – but as VICKY BROWN is finding this year, it does help when your stock is evenly balanced, i.e. you’ve got some plainheads!

A feisty jewel from the Australian rainforest

YouTube: more power to the fancy • Who’d have thought a few years ago that there’d be a wealth of birdkeeping channels on TV? DAVE BROWN explains what makes YouTube such a rich source of fun and information

Rob's route to an OMJ badge • Colour canary judge ROB BRADDOCK explains why he aspired to the élite COM qualification and how he prepared for his exam. ROB INNES puts the questions

Hens quick out of the blocks • Males and females aren’t quite in sync yet in Andy’s birdroom, but breeding is very much in the air. Now it’s a case of what to keep the same as last year and what to change

What the matrix can do for you • Last week, ALAN MARCHANT set out seven criteria against which budgerigars can be scored. By combining these in a ‘matrix’ that plots your specific targets for each season, you gain an effective planning tool. Here he gives practical advice on how to use it

'Highly technical but super friendly atmosphere'

Hat trick for Tom!

Clear yellow cock for the win

Swindon show incorporates old and rares

Club roundup • Show reports, dates, club notices

READERS' VISIT

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