The Moult: Patience Is A Virtue

MARK JONES advises on feeding native hardbills during the moult, carefully colour feeding after it, and the need to be patient and recognise that birds can be late developers.

The Collared Hill Partridge At Harewood Bird Garden

Professional birdkeeper HANNAH FRANCES AHERN introduces a little-known but beautiful gamebird

Pied Perfection

Just as perky and endearing as the robin, the pied flycatcher is a delightful and interesting species that has proved a tough challenge to breed in captivity. BILL NAYLOR reports

Making A Good Job Of It

DAVE BROWN takes a look at the elements and roles that help to make a show successful.

Going By The Book When It Comes To Finches

What’s in a name? Plenty, when you’re talking finches, says TONY EDWARDS

The Starling/Gannet

GARY BRALSFORD completes his introduction to the spotless starling, a likeable songbird that packs a serious appetite! For his previous article, see the September 4 issue.

Shock Closure Of Family Bird Park

MUCH-LOVED PRINKNASH BIRD & Deer Park has closed after 11 years of battling with the landlords over land use.

Northumbrian Notes With Austin Middlemiss

All it took was the availability of one gorgeous hen and Austin’s diplomatic breeding plans for next year were overthrown. But you’d do the same if you were offered this particular hen.

I'm Betting On These New Pairings

SAM WILDES looks forward to a productive 2020 breeding season and describes some of his top pairings with potential.

Is The Classic Lizard Canary Heading Towards Extinction?

HUW EVANS identifies the threats – which are still widely underestimated – to this historic canary breed, but offers reasons for hope that a broader appreciation of the genetic issues involved will secure its successful future.

International quality Glosters: grab 'em for £1

FOR £1, YOU could be in with a chance of winning a pair of top birds from the International Gloster Breeders Association (IGBA) 2018 winners – Marnix D’Hont from Belgium and Netherlands-based Gerrit Douma.

Conservation Project Goes Green

A genetic survey of a group of captive great green macaws is playing an important part in their eventual release into their natural habitat in Costa Rica, explains DR DAVID WAUGH.

Common Setbacks In Breeding Budgerigars

Whether pairing up your birds this autumn or in the New Year, make sure you learn from CLIVE WAKEMAN’s experience of some of the things that most often go wrong.

Canaries Month By Month:

Should you stay or should you go now? BRIAN KEENAN assesses his birds before show season gets underway.

Are Birdkeepers Really Being Priced Out?

Is a shortage of affordable (i.e. cheap) quality stock hastening the hobby’s decline? DAVE BROWN expresses some doubts.

Wins And Controversy

Two weeks ago, BOB BAGGS described his first breeding success with Glosters. Soon, show rosettes were to come his way, both locally and at the National Exhibition. Yet with winning and the attendant publicity came a couple of unexpected allegations that had to be dealt with...

A Change Of Heart

Following on from his ‘My history of hawking’ feature in the December 13, 2017 issue, GRAHAM WELLSTEAD explains why an unfortunate series of events led him fly a Harris hawk – and how it turned everything he’d previously thought about the species on its head.

Beyond Grey

After feeling rather indifferent to the anthracite in its early days, FRED WRIGHT now believes this new variety is showing enough promise to merit being taken up more widely. Here he sums up what has been learned so far about its inheritance.

Rethinking Our Shows

Does the established format of the bird exhibition need a bit of a redesign? JIM HAYWARD JNR strongly believes so and sets out his ideas for clubs to consider.

With a Z and a W: How Genes Make Up Birds

If you breed birds, the subject of basic genetics immediately becomes relevant, yet many fanciers shy away from the subject. Here PAUL DONOVAN discusses the bird basics and explains what’s a chromosome, what’s a gene, what is DNA – and most importantly, why it all matters in our hobby

Huge Aviaries, Fine Detail

On Rosemary Low’s most recent visit to Australia, she made a point of calling on the renowned Australian aviculturist RUSSELL KINGSTON – and was fascinated by the attention to detail that this great birdkeeper lavishes on his beautiful collection.

Steve And The Flight Factor

When it comes to learning all about positive reinforcement techniques, Dot knows exactly who the best man for the job is: renowned avian trainer STEVE MARTIN, who is regarded as the originator of free flight in bird shows and is still an active innovator.

2016: A Year Of Success

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

A Man In Demand

Top Irish judge and breeder LAURENCE EDGAR tells Dave Brown about the breeding, showing and general techniques he has in place for his extensive collection of foreign finches

Why 30 Is My Magic Number

In part one of his 2018 breeding season update, TONY EDWARDS relays his plans for the colours in his birdroom, paying particular attention to his long-established chocolate & whites, fawn & whites, dilute fawn & whites and albinos.

The Birdkeeping Bug

After initially housing birds in her conservatory, KATARINA JECHOVA ELLIS soon became hooked on the hobby and enlisted the help of a friend to enhance, not only her set-up, but the variety of breeds and number of individual birds as well.

Square Glosters And Organisms

Continuing from last week, AUSTIN MIDDLEMISS recalls some of the classic characters he’s known in the fancy, this time featuring the inimitable Big Lol and late great Billy Watson.

Never A Dull Moment: A Champion First Season!

Now firmly an ex-novice, DONALD SKINNER-REID looks back on the past year with his exhibition Scots, Belgians and Gibosos and addresses the high and low points of that time.

Time To Prepare To Pair

IVAN CHAPMAN shares some breeding tactics and tips suited to both beginners and older hands alike.

Act In Advance, Don't Wait Around

In this new series of articles aimed at novices, IAN WRIGHT, KEVIN McCALLUM and NORMAN WALLACE provide tips for the 2018 breeding season based on their knowledge of breeding and exhibiting a range of canary varieties. First up is NORMAN WALLACE.