Have you ever wondered what a judge looks for in a bird competition, or how to best look after your bird?
Britt spoke to Colin Isbister, president of the African Lovebirds Society of Australia during the Sydney Royal Aviary Bird Show. The society looks at the welfare of the birds regarding husbandry, welfare and showing, in order to ensure the they are properly looked after. Colin explains, ‘We want to breed from them (the birds), so we can keep the generations showing. Without us breeding in captivity, a lot of the native bird species would be wiped out.’
Britt asked what judges look for in bird competitions. The most important aspects to look for are welfare of the bird and its condition, Colin explains. It must be fully intact, ‘so if it’s got a toenail missing, the bird is not a full bird. Or if it’s feathers are out, and they’re ruffled and not really shiny’, the bird will not win. ‘You can always look at a bird and tell how it’s condition is by its eyes. If it’s bright, round and shiny, you will see the birds in a healthy condition.’ Despite their condition, the birds must perform well on the day of judging to win.
If you’re looking for advice in keeping your bird healthy and happy, Colin’s got you covered. The key is to ‘give them a good diet. Particularly good, clean, fresh seeds … a lot of the birds will eat fruit, particularly corn and a lot of apples and oranges, and other sorts of greenery.’ Proper nutrition is key, and there are a lot of supplements that the birds can be given. Colin adds, ‘Make sure they always have very clean water all the time’, and ‘make sure you never put a bird in a draft’. Colin advises that if you are looking to get a bird as a pet for the first time, buy one that is low maintenance, such as a budgie or a lovebird. Ultimately, if you would like to know the ins and outs of maintaining your birds, the best thing is to join a club online, to get advice from the experts.
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