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For the Birds: Successful National Show

By David Alderton

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There was a real buzz around the National Bird Show of the Year, which took place in October in Stafford, England. Fears over avian flu had subsided and, in spite of the economic situation, many breeders were prepared to spend quite freely to obtain new stock. Breeders filled three large halls with their birds, confirming that it had been a good breeding season this year for many.

Mutations psittacines were in high demand, ranging from striking yellow-pied forms of the red-fronted kakariki through to various Pyrrhura conures morphs. Ringnecked parakeets were much in evidence, too, with a few examples of the rare, but stunning, violet mutation on offer for around $1,200 each. Australian species have also staged something of a comeback over recent years, and there was a good choice of birds such as Port Lincoln and Pennant’s parakeets available.

The U.K. bird scene has changed significantly since the imposition of a European Union ban on imports imposed because of fears over avian flu back in 2005. The availability and prices of African finches, such as waxbills, has increased significantly. With greater freedom of movement of birds in Europe, others--such as Cuban finches, which have been popular on the continent for many years--are now being seen more frequently, as was evident at the National Bird Show.

U.K.’s Weekly Bird-keeping Magazine Sold

Cage & Aviary Birds, which was first published back in 1902 and is the only weekly publication devoted to the bird-keeping hobby, has been sold. Formerly owned by IPC Media since 1990, the title has now transferred to Kelsey Publishing, which publishes more than 30 magazines, including Practical Reptile Keeping and Practical Poultry.
 
"We see Cage & Aviary Birds as an excellent fit for our magazine portfolio," said Kelsey’s managing director, Steve Wright. "It is an iconic brand within the bird-keeping scene and will be one of the biggest titles published in our business."

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