Cage & Aviary Birds

SOCIAL SKILLS ARE an important part in the successful breeding of captive pelicans, say researchers. Analysis of this aspect of behaviour of great white pelicans (Pelecanus onocrotalus) at Blackpool Zoo revealed that providing social choice within th

EXPOSURE TO THE sound of traffic not only delays songlearning ability in young zebra finches but leads to weakened immune response. “Our findings indicate that young songbirds, just like human children, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of n

FROM MALMÖ TO Madrid, great tits living in cities have evolved in a similar way and are genetically different from their countryside counterparts. Researchers at Sweden’s Lund University made a comparison study of these birds across nine European cit

LIKE many people, I started breeding season 2021 with more birds than I would normally maintain. In part, that was due to my increasingly developing dithering, which I put down to age. “Should I retain this bird?” You know the thought process. I had

Expert advice • Opinion • Getting started • Species profiles • Key tips • Leading fanciers LET’S turn that question on its head and think first about why so many people are totally unsuccessful when it comes to breeding top-quality birds and exhibiti

THIS Serin is, though only clad in sober plumage, one of the prettiest of the many sweet songsters which reach us from South Africa. It has an extensive range and is very plentiful in the Transvaal area. Mr. W. E. Teschemaker obtained a number of thi

THIS is a relatively quiet spell in the birdroom, with the exhibition birds now out of the breeding cages and – depending on their age – resting, growing on or being assessed. The initial assessments have been relatively straightforward and the oldes

THE satinette mutation first appeared at the end of the 1960s and started to develop at the beginning of the 70s. I raised satinette canaries between 1977 and 2019. Satinette canaries were developed in France, thanks to the industrious work of M. Asc

THE 67 species of plover of the family Charariidae include some species alternatively called dotterels or sand plovers. These are some of those most attractive of the waders. Many possess contrasting colours of grey, fawn and white, in many cases wit

Welcome to the club and show pages – the bit that’s all about you Q Which clubs have you been most involved with? Any official roles? Clive Wakeman: Apart from the Budgerigar Society (BS), Somerset BS is the only other club I have had any involvement

AFTER 40 years’ service to the National Council for Aviculture (NCA), the last decade of which was spent as chairman, life member Chris Smith was deeply honoured to be elected to the post of president for 2021/22 at the NCA’s AGM held via Zoom on May