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.

Cinnamon corona hen takes the top honours

Wild buzzard illegally killed in Lincolnshire

QUOTE of the WEEK

Also in the news…

Awards seek unsung heroes of the birding world

Birds-of-paradise use biofluorescence to attract a mate

Police confiscate 24 parrots from illegal sellers

PARROTS & PEOPLE

Always a weekly highlight

WELL DONE, EIRE’S ALAN AND MIKE!

Editor’s Letter

Cage & Aviary Birds

Pairings and plans for 2025 • In his regular bulletin, DAVID ALLEN outlines his breeding ambitions for the year, welcomes an old friend back to the hobby and looks forward (already!) to next year’s World Show

Canaries Month by Month: • Successful breeding is about treading the line between doing what you did before and introducing changes — never too many and always for a reason. BRIAN KEENAN reports

How to make sales work for you • ‘Live’ sales are like live gigs — unique and to be cherished. Still, says DAVE BROWN, it’s best to attend with your brain switched on so you don’t regret any buys before you get home

Let’s get rid of rogue redpoll genes • MARK JONES has seen the ‘mealy menace’ at too many recent shows, and now unwanted mealy traits have surfaced in his lesser redpoll stock. Breeders must take more care, he urges

Ghost birds of the twilight • Charismatic and yet a little eerie, the dusk-haunting nightjar always provides memorable encounters, whether in the wild or where it’s far less known, in captivity.

This year’s centenary celebration? Count me in • SAM WILDES will be supporting the Budgerigar Society’s Centenary Convention this June — and he’ll be giving a lot more than just his attendance, too, as the Society battles back from difficult times. Look out for more about the June event in forthcoming issues

Confiding wheatears are my new stars • Sumptuous softbills have been arriving in DAVID URMSTON’s collection and as a result his livefood orders this year will be interesting! Meanwhile, his canaries make light of the winter and there’s lots to enjoy in the wild bird world, too. But his new self-built aviary still has a bit of work to do on it

Channel that energy • When the breeding urge kicks in, it’s all action in the pigeon loft! DAVE BROWN recommends several measures that will help keep the peace and help with productivity

FUTURE PLANS: smaller and leaner • After several seasons of building up numbers and diversity in his collection, TONY EDWARDS feels the time is approaching to scale back. Here, he shares his plans for a smaller but still competitive stud

Club News • Welcome to the club and show pages — the bit that’s all about you

Avicultural Society

Roller results

Burton & Reay’s continuation of a stellar show year

Club roundup • Show reports, dates, club notices

What’s on this Week