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.

AS's First UK Breeding award given for yellow-fronted parrot

Budgerigar Society salutes Ghalib's service to the GC

QUOTE of the WEEK

Also in the news…

New arrivals and improved aviaries at Marwell

RSPB alters feed advice to fight tricho

Foreign birdkeepers: mark your calendars!

FINCHES Plus

That cool-cat Siamese mutation • In C&AB May 6, Norbert Schramm reported on the beautiful Nero Perla canary, and here HEIN VAN GROUW tells us more about this fascinating mutation

Editor's Letter

Cage & Aviary Birds

First season in the new room • Given the unavoidable disturbance of transferring his stock to entirely new living quarters, DAVID ALLEN is not that surprised that his 2026 breeding season hasn't settled down yet. But it's still May – early days… He also casts his mind back fondly to his days with that grand old breed, the Lancashire

Now for the good news! • ‘For each main breeding season I look for the positive events,’ says Bengalese champion TONY EDWARDS. ‘I don't like to dwell too long on the negatives. In recent articles, owing to the nature of this breeding season, I have mentioned several disappointing occurrences. By contrast, in this article I will focus mainly on several of the pleasing aspects I have so far encountered. I'm confident that 2026 will turn out to be a breeding season to remember’

A tight ship floats nicely • When did you last use the ‘B’ word? Budgeting for your hobby need not be boring – instead, it can be a short cut to creative thinking and fruitful collaboration with other like-minded fanciers. DAVE BROWN praises the virtues of the more modest approach

The true worth of a false pair • Was David gutted when a bought-in canary ‘pair’ turned out to be two males? Not a bit of it – he's enjoying them for their voices and the blend they offer in his mixed collection

Northumbrian Notes • Beautiful black pigeons are Austin's Holy Grail these days – and like that trophy they are being rather difficult to attain (in terms of breeding results)! Yet the past month has brought plenty of compensations, both in the pigeon loft and in the bird world outside

THE GREENIE LIGHT FACTOR • How would one of the greenfinch pairs respond to an unplanned step-up in daylight hours? That was only one of the interesting questions raised by Andy's natives over the past month

Q&A: Aidan Yule • At just 25 years old, AIDAN YULE is part of a new generation that is breathing fresh energy into the UK budgerigar fancy. And whereas many exhibitors have decades of experience behind them, Aidan has already carved out a name for himself, not only through his show successes, but also through the significant show-management roles he has taken on across Scotland. His enthusiasm, work ethic and eye for a quality bird have made him a valued member of the budgerigar fancy

My journey with budgies: Part 5 • At this stage of NEIL CAWLEY's odyssey, he first found some of the key management techniques that have served him for more than a decade now. Part 6 follows next month

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

Club roundup • Show reports, dates, club notices

What's on this week