Editor's Blog 29th May 2013

ARE YOU IN it to win it? Or, when it comes to the shows, is it more about the taking part? Budgerigar champion and BS panel judge Ron Pearce is clear on the point: “At some shows there will be pressure from officials to enter birds, no matter what their condition, to make up the numbers,” he says in his article on picking your show team (page 12). “It’s my view that we should always enter to win.”

Editor's Blog 22nd May 2013

CONTROL: THAT’S THE essence of pedigree breeding. Pair up budgerigars with scientific rigour and you can, to some extent, determine the individual feather structure in the offspring. That in turn will control the birds’ overall shape, which is so crucial to show-bench success. On page 16 this week, innovative stockman Richard Miller sums up the relevant techniques and, for many in the competitive fancy, this will all be a bit like a glimpse of the Holy Grail. By contrast, plenty of budgerigar fans prefer less rigour and more spontaneity.

Editor's Blog 15th May 2013

THE TROGONS ARE a charismatic set of frugivores, prized by zoo professionals and visitors alike. And the quetzals (Pharomachrus) are the kings of the trogon tribe. The quetzal that everyone can picture is the resplendent (P. mocinno) of Central America, with its punky crest and green pendant tail streamers (actually elongated tail coverts) – an outrage of a bird. Fussy, too: it relies on the fruits of a whole suite of different tree species throughout the year. The first I ever saw were a pair perching in a huge tree and swooping almost to ground level to pluck strawberries.

Editor's Blog 8th May 2013

NOT ONLY BIRDKEEPERS, but all lovers of justice will share our delight at the news that British birdman Ted Easter has won an appeal against wild-bird charges brought by the RSPCA. (See News, page 2.) As a result, Mr Easter is to be reunited with six confiscated red-backed shrikes that should never have been taken from him in the first place. Good news: but there’s also a warning here for British birdkeepers.