Hi all,

 

I am curious about how the budgerigar show scene has been going in Australia. I have heard talk of how it has declined in the UK but I don't know if that is true.

 

Has there been any decline in the number of breeders participating in the Australian show scene over, say, the last 30 years?

 

I breed canaries and most agree that there are less breeders at each club than previous decades. Some type breeds have declined and at least one colour variety has been lost. Has anything similar happened to the budgerigar hobby?

 

Drogo

Yes there has been a decline (in NSW I know). I've only been breeding show types for about 2 years but I've been told how many members there were compared to now and I've seen in my own club since I've been there we have lost some long time breeders who just don't want to do it any more.

 

It's very sad.

Hi Nadene,

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

It's never nice losing long term breeders but it is inevitable. Two breeders I knew kept birds right up till the day they died. There have been a couple of younger ones who replaced them but while they breed and are involved in the club they do not show as much as the older breeders did.

 

Like you I have only been in the bird hobby a few years so it's hard for me to imagine how big some clubs used to be.

 

Kind regards

 

Drogo