DONALD SKINNER-REID recalls an eventful year where he learned to manage more than one breed of canary, and made a breakthrough with his Scots fancies on the show bench
CANARIES
THE Scots Fancy Canary Specialist Club (SFCSC) requires novices to show as such for the first five show seasons. There seems to be good reason behind this. It’ll take you five seasons to breed birds that are recognisably your own bloodline. It’s also a good “apprenticeship” period, although I think that I will always be a novice at heart, because I learn new things every year.
In 2014 I acquired a pair of Norwich canaries. Their breeder said they were self-rearing. He spoke the truth. I reared eight in 2015 and 13 in 2016. I use these as feeders for my Belgian canaries.
In 2015 I acquired a stock of Belgian canaries and brought a pair, plus a white one, back from Belgium, where I had exhibited at the Gouden Ring Show for the second time but attended in person for the first time. Just to make my life even more complicated, I bought two pairs of Giboso Espanol from Bo Pawlyszyn.
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Esta historia es de la edición September 6, 2017 de Cage & Aviary Birds.
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The World's Best-Known Hummingbird?
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The charm of the English Cinnamon
Despite its long and complicated history, the true Cinnamon canary is still with us – in the hands of a tiny group of breeders. DONALD SKINNER-REID reckons it deserves wider appreciation
Spangles: a personal overview
FRED WRIGHT relates a budgie story of over-exploitation, consequent problems and abundant potential for the future
New converts to old breeds
Old and rare canaries have a reputation for adding fresh interest and challenge to the hobby. PETE HOOK and NICK JOY agree, and explain the birds’ charm to Dave Brown
Themed aviaries are a hit with the public at annual Stafford show
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Pieds with potential
More than just a lesser variety, the dominant pied will introduce challenge and change into most studs, reckons CLIVE WAKEMAN. Here he discusses pairings to try and others to avoid
Club News
Welcome to the club and show pages – the bit that’s all about you Results: convention, specialist & rare and Breeder of the Year
Canaries Month by Month:
With Christmas around the corner, BRIAN KEENAN is well into his winter programme, and reckons he might deserve a nice outcross
Smart Choice, Docile Nature
Dave Brown welcomes the masked grassfinch to his birdroom and shares advice on this lovely Australian species
The truth about the ‘flying toad'
Odd local names and weird superstitions can’t hide the beauty and elegance of the nightjar, a species that has made a fascinating subject in a few zoo collections, reveals BILL NAYLOR
