Cage & Aviary Birds

Cage & Aviary Birds is written by bird experts for bird fanciers and is packed with club, show and bird related news, advice, birds for sale and comment. Established in 1902, Cage & Aviary Birds provides a wealth of practical advice and tips from the top names in the bird world, plus opinion, controversy, species and hobbyist profiles and nostalgia.

Irish fancy mourns Maurice O’Connor

Club passes £¾m mark with funding

QUOTE of the WEEK

Also in the news…

Titmice rescued from disgusting glue trap

LATEST UPDATE

BTO rewards its high achievers

Coul Links saved from golf-course fate

Park Life

Ken Laurie, by his friends

Cage & Aviary Birds

You never lose the bird connection • An idyllic holiday taking in the best of northern England was made better still for DONALD SKINNER-REID by the birds, and the links with birds, that he incidentally noticed

Fitting the present to the fancier • Birdkeepers need a lot of stuff apart from actual birds. So with a bit of thought - and DAVE BROWN’s suggestion list - you shouldn’t struggle for gift ideas this Christmas

Late surprises light up the year • Softbill breeding doesn’t come much better than being able to claim success with the Bali myna - and that is exactly what’s happened with one ecstatic UK breeder. GARY BRALSFORD has the details of this and other ‘last-minute winners’ - plus some Xmas gift suggestions

News from the world of the London fancy • From the British Isles right across the Continent, interest in the recently revived London fancy continues to grow and all sorts of intriguing developments are emerging. LF breeder ANDY EARLY brings us the latest news and comment

The blue quartet: four unforgettable tales • More than any other group of birds, the four blue macaws encapsulate the blend of tragedy and hope felt by conservationists and all who care about the avian life of our planet. Now, a brilliant new book makes their stories accessible to everyone.

Biosecurity in practice at the Doncaster Border show • There was some extra ‘faffing’, but also some extra satisfaction when everything came together! STUART MASON, show secretary of Doncaster BFCC, sums up what the club did differently this year to comply with the DEFRA licence

Make time to watch • Native finch breeder MARK JONES reflects on those occasions when close observation meant he could act promptly to sort or avert a birdroom problem. He also reflects on some possible requests to Santa Claus — all quite modest!

The ‘Big Five’ birds: a perfect gift? • Planning a safari with birds included as a Christmas treat or for some later occasion? Why not spice things up by setting yourself some fun — or serious — targets? DARREN SEFTON has some suggestions for ‘must-see’ bird species that’ll make any trip that bit more special

BUDGERIGAR Q&A • Weaning is among the key stages of a young bird’s life. CHRIS GREEN responds to a reader request concerning the breeder’s priorities during this time

Club News • Welcome to the club and show pages — the bit that’s all about you

Club roundup

What’s on • Club meetings nationwide Includes sales held by clubs to benefit their members. For other sales, please book an advert

CIGB: ‘A new chapter for Gloster canary breeders’