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.
Key updates for fanciers wishing to show their birds internationally
Rare parrots tracked on their winter migration
QUOTE of the WEEK
Also in the news…
Cumbrian canary club sets sights on the big 500
A successful summer for British chough breeding
Bird Photographer of the Year winner highlights plight of bird collision deaths
Park Life with Chris Green
Is colour a matter of taste?
BERNARD SAYERS
Editor’s Letter
Cage & Aviary Birds
Plumage priorities • How good should our parrots’ feather look? The answer, says RAFAEL ZAMORA, is as good as it possibly can at any stage of the year - even during the moult
Mick Rose: a tribute • With this eminent Gloster man’s passing, the fancy bids farewell to one of the great advocates of the canary partnership. DAVE BROWN shares some personal memories of him
Sounds or speech? The parrot puzzle • The vocal repertoire of parrots - greys especially - often includes a surprising number of words. Could we claim that the birds understand what they are saying? Dot’s experience with her own birds makes a fascinating complement to her reading round the topic
My experiences with Artha grey 1999-2021
A British bird of paradise • Britain’s got talent… in the form of the jay, a looker, mimic and all-round fascinator. BILL NAYLOR has known a few jays in his time and delights in painting this character sketch
The big day - your way • STEVEN PARKINSON is the highly able show secretary of the Northern Ireland Budgerigar, Zebra Finch & Foreign Bird Society. Here he advises on the tasks that need to be done on the day of the show, and how you can be fully in control and enjoy the event as well
The birdman of Old Colwyn • Wellbeing first, winning second: that’s been DAVID SHELBOURNE’s rule through his Fife canary career. Here he summarises what every keeper must know about wellbeing in their birds, and then begins the tale of show-bench progress that his high standards have enabled
Simple seed has done me proud • Decades of experience confirm for David that some fanciers insist on overcomplicating things! Personally, he”ll continue with his tried-and-tested management routine, while making some changes to the species in his collection
A Scottish centenary • This Sunday, Scotland’s National Bird Show will celebrate everything that’s best about that great birdkeeping nation. In a tribute to this enterprising new event, which is only in its second year, Cage & Aviary Birds reprints this account of the Scottish National of 1924, as a reminder of how much - and how little - has changed during those hundred years. To everybody associated with this year’s event: good luck!
Club News • Welcome to the club and show pages - the bit that’s all about you
South Western ZFC at the Camborne agricultural show
‘Off to a flyer’ for Northern BS’s show season
Light green for best award
Club roundup
What’s on this Week