WAXBILLS
THE ban on importation, bird flu and the cost of energy are just a few of the problems that have affected our hobby recently. Covid has done so much damage. Visiting the National at Stafford for the first time in many years, I could see how halls that once were full of sales tables and birdkeepers were nowhere near what they used to be. Although in our hobby there are birds that can suit anyone (see my article in C&AB, December 14 2022), my section - the waxbills - seems to have been one of the hardest-hit.
There was talk of an import ban about 30 years ago. Many of us were just enjoying breeding finch-type birds. Zebra finches and most of the and another good finch breeder and artist, Howard Robinson. They advocated trying to get the species in our category established before the ban came into place. Like hundreds of birdkeepers, I took up the challenge and gradually moved out all my Australian finches to make room for more waxbills.