Welcome to your Monthly Edition of the ANBC Gazette

Dear Fanciers,

The 2024/25 period has been a year of practical reinforcement, further solidifying the positive direction and shared goals that all ANBC personnel are committed to achieving. The efforts of the “Working Group” have once again demonstrated the power of teamwork, helping us deliver another productive year for the organisation.

A significant highlight has been the acquisition of several major sponsors, whose support continues to strengthen our foundation. We warmly welcome and thank Mars Birdcare, Mantra Gladstone, NCA Custom Cages (Noosa Heads), Worrell & Co (South Australia), Media Stable (South Australia), Hentley Farm (South Australia), and Cruise Advisors (QLD). In addition, we sincerely appreciate the many individuals who have supported the ANBC vision throughout the year.

The development of the “Experts On the Perch” segment for the Meet & Greet continues to evolve, and although we haven’t yet fully realised our vision for the Friday night of the National Event, the progress made is commendable. Significant behind-the-scenes work has also been achieved, including:

• Upgrading and improving the usability of the ANBC container.
• Advancing the Live Streaming capabilities for broader audience engagement.
• Designing and producing celebratory Hall of Fame Banners, recognising the outstanding achievements of our Hall of Fame Breeders.

These initiatives would not have been possible without the unwavering support of our sponsors.
The dedication and hard work of the ANBC and the Working Group have been critical to these outcomes. Without their commitment, these achievements would not have come to fruition. Sponsorship has played a pivotal role in ensuring financial stability, allowing us to invest further in our community and activities.

Ring sales for the 2025 season showed a slight increase. Encouragingly, a new membership stimulation plan is underway across all Zones, which we hope will further boost ring sales and, through the ring levy, continue to support and grow our hobby.

Sadly, over the past 12 months, we have lost several esteemed members of our community. Their contributions were invaluable, and they will be dearly missed by their families, friends, and fellow enthusiasts across Australia. Our thoughts are with all those affected, and we honour their legacy.

ANBC meetings have become important platforms for the exchange of ideas, fostering innovation and collaboration across the organisation. Turning those ideas into action has been one of the most rewarding aspects of being part of this proactive and progressive body. This momentum will undoubtedly carry us into the future.

Congratulations to NQBZ Inc for delivering a polished and memorable 49th Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles. Sincere thanks to everyone involved in making it a success.

Finally, with the completion of the 2025 ANBC AGM, all positions have been successfully filled. We extend a warm welcome to our new President Garry Hibberd and look forward to another productive and positive year ahead.

Warm Regards,

Neale R Love
ANBC Secretary

Dear Budgie Enthusiasts,

As my tenue as ANBC president comes to a close, I wish the incoming president all the best for the upcoming year and I’m sure he will handle it with aplomb. My sincere thanks go to Neale for both his guidance and support throughout the year and the forming of a great working relationship. I also thank the dedicated delegates of each state / zone for your input and support of our great hobby throughout the year.

A big thank you goes to the members of the working group, a hardworking, free-thinking group without egos and a single vision of excellence for our hobby. It’s been a pleasure working with everyone.

We cannot forget the value of our partners both old and new, and both the ANBC and I thank them for their generous support. I seek the co-operation of each state / zone in encouraging your members to support our partners in whatever way they can, as without them our hobby would be much poorer in many ways.

The past year has seen the visibility of the ANBC increase not only to our membership but to the general public as well. This has been brought about by the introduction of the ANBC Gazette and the updated ANBC Web-Site. We now have a bigger presence in social media and the jewel in the crown for projecting us not only domestically but worldwide is the Live Streaming of our National Show, highlighting our birds and our valued partners. The pull up banners celebrating our Hall of Fame recipients was a big hit with members, both old and new.

The 49th Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles recently held in Cairns and hosted by the North Queensland Budgerigar Zone Inc. was another outstanding success and I thank the organizing committee for their outstanding efforts. As a group we must look at what was excellent and what needs to improve and make sure going forward to future shows that those mistakes from previous shows are not repeated and the ordinary is elevated too great.

As a group we have achieved much this past year and I envisage we will continue to achieve well into the future. Some of the things I believe we need to achieve are increasing membership by promoting it as an inclusive family hobby, encouraging both junior and senior members. Our retiring public offers a vast spread of people looking for ways to enjoy their senior years and we should be targeting them. Reinforcing the value of our hobby to one’s health both physical and mental. We as a group need continue our previous good work in improving member benefits of timely distribution of information, the stabilization of costs and a seamless organisation of both the Nationals and the management of the ANBC as a whole, through new partnerships and skill identification.

Warm Regards,

Russell Odgen
Outgoing President – ANBC

Dear Budgie Enthusiasts,

As I begin my year as President of the ANBC, I do so with a deep sense of honour—and, I’ll admit, a touch of trepidation. Looking back at those who have held this role before me, I’m reminded of the big shoes I now fill. An old boss of mine once told me, “Surround yourself with good people.” I’m fortunate that, right now, the ANBC is exactly that—great people doing great things.

Since the break brought on by COVID, the recommencement of the Nationals at Victor Harbor marked a new chapter for the ANBC—perhaps the most dynamic and energetic period since our founding 50 years ago. The generous support from Mars, the success of the livestreaming, the “Experts On the Perch” series, the Gazette, and sponsorship from various passionate parties have elevated our presence and professionalism. The ANBC is truly moving into a new era.

However, for all the momentum at the top level, we continue to face a familiar challenge: attracting new people to our amazing hobby. There may be an untapped opportunity in reaching out to the recently retired – people who now have the time, resources, and perhaps even a childhood connection to budgerigars, but who don’t yet know we exist. Yet.

Another exciting development over the past couple of years has been the rise of social weekends built around shows and auctions. I want to applaud those clubs who are leading the way here. These events not only support the fancy—they give people a reason to travel, gather, and share stories. They’re helping to bring the “madly obsessed” together in exactly the way that keeps our community strong.

This year, I’m looking forward to building on all this momentum, embracing new ideas, and supporting the clubs, breeders, and volunteers who are the heart of what we do.

Let’s make it a great one.

Warm Regards,

Garry Hibberd
Incoming President – ANBC

ANBC Judges Coordinator

Hello All,

We’ve been looking at the Flecking Action Plan, as agreed upon by the ANBC Judges Panel in 2023. I am pleased to report that Items 1 and 2 have been completed, and we are now ready to progress to Item 3 of the plan. This next stage requires input not only from ANBC Judges but also from States and Zones, including their Judging Panels.

Everyone’s involvement is essential as we continue to assess and refine our approach to flecking within the Standard. As part of this review, we ask each State and Zone to provide individual feedback on the following:
•    What changes (positive AND negative) have occurred since the introduction of the ANBC Standard P&D Flecking Benchmark Bird?
•    What were the pain points or challenges experienced?
•    Are there any current impacts on the Show Bench, perceived or actual? Please determine the best method to record this information within your state or zone.
•    In hindsight, what could have been done better?
•    What would we do differently if given the chance?
•    Most importantly, is this direction aligned with what the Fancy truly wants?

Please answer each point separately, as we intend to collate feedback across all States and Zones for each category. It is important that your Judging Panels are actively included in this process and fully engaged. All feedback is to be returned to me by 1 November 2025. Thank you for your continued commitment to supporting the Fancy and improving the standard of judging nationwide.

Regards
James Bader
ANBC Judges Co-Ordinator

Colours & Standards

As many will be aware, the current Coordinator, Peter Glassenbury, will be stepping down from this role for the 2025–2026 period. An understudy has been in place throughout the year, with Garry Menzies confirmed to take on the role moving forward. This transition has been acknowledged by Garry and officially reaffirmed by the ANBC.

I am proud to say that the document we have today is precise, accurate, and clearly articulated—a benchmark that is admired by fanciers in many countries around the world. As the ANBC continues to move forward, I anticipate that only minor refinements will be required, which is a testament to the quality of the work that has been carried out by all involved in Colour and Standards.

Thank you all for your continued support and dedication

Regards,
Peter Glassenbury
ANBC Colours & Standards Coordinator

WBO Noticeboard

Having just had our 30th WBO Congress last Friday in Blackpool, United Kingdom which was attended by 17 delegates representing 11 societies from 10 countries, we now turn our attention to the WBO World Championship Show to be held in France on 4th – 6th July. I attach all the necessary information that you need for the show. Our contact there is Jean Peelman, President of the AFO (jean.peelman@orange.fr), WhatsApp Number +32 497 137297.

WBO Report from the Aussies
By James Smith, Victoria

Each year the meeting is in a different country – the BS Centenary Club Show for 2025 but next years is in Kuwait so a chance to catch up and see the breeders at the peak of their hobby in every country that hosts the meeting – again, the ANBC Show is the parallel where you can visit the breeders in the Zones and make a great trip / holiday / visit out of it!!

The Club Show had 1200 bird entered from 97 exhibitors – quite an undertaking. The Trophy section for the awards was SIGNIFICANT and truly an indication of the History and quality of the event. It was the 7^th time that the Budgerigar Society had hosted the WBO. Not only the WBO meeting but also the Annual General Meeting of the Budgerigar Society was held on the Sunday from 9.30am to 11.30am.

There was Grand Auction held on Sunday afternoon as a fundraiser for the Budgerigar Society. Interested to see the parallel with the ANBC Show Auction – however it was an early introduction to this type of activity. Top price for birds was a thousand pounds – roughly $2000 dollars Australian.

The Prestigious Gould Award was unanimously voted to be awarded to Grant Findlay for his contribution to the hobby. I spoke to Grant a few times over the weekend – an absolute gentleman!

There was some “robust” discussion about the WBO Standard. It had been approved in 2024 at the WBO meeting apparently – however – since that time there has been some unified pushback from the European WBO Member Zones and representatives. This was a long discussion; however, it was resolved with a solution that will mean a revamp of the Standard that will be approved at the next WBO to be held in Kuwait.
There was also discussion that the WBO was seeking to have anyone WANTING to be a WBO Judge to be actually APPROVED with a WBO specific test at a WBO Meeting. This was again a robust discussion with many people asking who would be paying for the judges to travel to the various countries to actually sit the test – and more so if they didn’t pass then the expense would be far too great! This was not finalised and has been left for further discussion at the next WBO meeting in Kuwait.

As in Australia there is an absolute need for the Delegates and Zones to work together. The WBO is no different. When the Delegates were asked for a report Australia spoke of the need for all of us – the whole world – to focus on the Future and to protect the hobby for all of the future generations of fanciers. The push from certain groups against birds being kept as a hobby is a growing threat that needs to be stood against in a unified way – globally!

In some Countries the push back is greater than in others – the fact is that all countries will experience it at some point – it’s the preparation for it that is key and the learnings from the countries that overcome the challenges that will benefit all.

Overall, a wonderful weekend looking at some exceptional exhibition budgerigars at one of the premier shows in the world. We had quality presentations from leaders in the hobby that were all extremely interesting and educational. Speaking to and meeting the names and faces behind the images of the birds we all see on Facebook and Social Media was gratifying, as well as the superb visits that we were fortunate to partake of in the UK and Switzerland. Those stories for a later day.

Dark Eyed Clears

By Ghalib Al Nassar

Two such varieties that enjoyed brief acknowledgement and success in the fifties and sixties and then returned to oblivion are the “Dark-Eyed Clears” and the “Continental  Clearflights”. Other varieties that hit rock bottom are the Violets, Mauves and their counterparts, the Olive, Fallows, Dutch Pied and the Brownwings, just to name a few.

🐥 My Introduction to DECs
I became interested in the Dark-Eyed Clears (DEC) in 1988. The ones I had seen previously were of such poor quality that, like others, I criticised the variety and their owners, even though I am known for my appreciation of, and interest in the “lesser varieties”. I acquired two white DEC cocks from my friends Geoff and Cherril Bunker who were at that time in the process of moving house to the West Country. The two cocks were brothers and of reasonable quality. One of those cocks when exhibited in the Recessive Pied class on two occasions was wrong-classed even though it was entered in the correct class. I took them on for two reasons; I needed a new challenge and perhaps wanted to do my bit in promoting a variety.

🔍 What Are Dark-Eyed Clears?
Dark-Eyed Clears, from their name, are budgerigars of clear yellow or white, free from any markings and colour pigmentation. This purity of colour covers the entire body and wings. They resemble the Lutinos and Albinos except in the eye. They share a common ground with Recessive Pieds, insofar as they have the solid black eye without the white iris ring; hence at times they are referred to as a “Black-Eyed Clears”. Like the Lutino and Albino the DEC can mask any colour. For instance, a Yellow DEC could be in fact, an Olive Green DEC or a Light Green DEC. The shade of yellow in this case will be deeper and richer in the Olive than in that of the Light Green.The Budgerigar Society 1994 Colour Standards (for the Yellow variety) defines them as follows:

📘 Budgerigar Society Colour Standard (1994)

• Body & Wings: Pure buttercup yellow, free from markings or green suffusion
• Cheek Patches: Silvery white
• Tail Flights: Paler yellow than rump
• Eyes: Dark, solid, no iris ring
• Beak, Feet & Legs: Orange beak; fleshy-pink feet
• Cere: Fleshy-pink (cock), brown (hen)

Records of their origin are rather scarce. They seem to have originated in Belgium about 1948, and a couple of years later in Denmark too. A breeder found these colours appearing in his aviary. He had at the time, the dominant Continental Clearflights and Danish Recessive Pieds breeding on the colony system.

The appearance of those DEC’s caused some confusion, in the genetical sense, as to why two different type of pieds, one dominant and one recessive, should produce a bird free from any colour pigmentation as are the Redeyes, Lutinos and Albinos. Therefore, it is in order to describe them as a synthetic colour or man-made colour resulting from the mixing of two different forms of Pieds.

🧬 Genetics & Breeding Outcomes
It took a while to understand the gene that controlled their production and by the fifties they were popular, as were the Continental Clearflights. It was found that when pairing a Clearflight with a Recessive Pied, half of the young would be Clearflights and the other half Normals, with all the young split for Recessive Pied. It was also found that by mating a Clearflight split for Recessive Pied back to a Recessive Pied, a certain percentage of the young will be DEC. These Clears are not really Pieds in appearance but are the Recessive Pied form of the Continental Clearflight, or more concisely “Clearflighted Recessive Pied”.

It took me a while to understand their genetical breeding behaviour as written material on them was rather scarce. Those DEC’s are in fact, birds that carry in their genetical make-up, one dominant gene (gene for Clearflight) and two recessive genes (genes for the Recessive Pied). Depending on which partner they are paired with, one type of gene will predominate and various varieties will be produced.

For example, if a DEC is paired to a Recessive Pied, then the recessive genes will act and the pairing will be as pairing two birds of recessive genes or two Recessive Pieds together. This type of pairing will produce DEC’s and Recessive Pieds of equal numbers, theoretically.

The confusion arises when pairing a DEC with a normal (non-pied or split for Recessive Pied); we then produce the Clearflights. In this pairing we will not produce DEC’s even though we started with one. In fact, the pairing will produce Clearflights and normals all split for Recessive Pied. What happens in this type of pairing is that the dominant Clearflight gene will act and the pairing is just like a Dominant Pied to a normal. Because the DEC had two recessive genes in hidden form, then these genes will continue to be present in the progeny in a hidden form as well, hence all the progeny will be split for Recessive Pied.

Yet, when pairing a DEC with a Clearflight split Recessive Pied, the dominant gene on both sides will act and the pairing is similar to Dominant Pied × Dominant Pied. This pairing will produce DEC, Clearflight and normal; both of the latter being split for Recessive Pied because of the recessive genes of the DEC, and because of the presence of the recessive gene on both sides, Recessive Pieds will appear as well.

It is interesting to see how the dominant and recessive genes of the DEC act depending on the partner. Because of the presence of a dominant gene in the DEC make-up, this gene can be present in a single or double dosage, visually both alike. The Pied genes act by eliminating the pigment melanin from the Pied patches. It seems that neither the recessive nor the dominant Pied genes can on their own, eliminate all the pigment, but two recessive and one dominant are sufficient to give complete elimination.

If you are not already confused with the genetics then perhaps the table of expectations below will assist in understanding the intermingling of the three varieties with each other.

The table below shows the various types of pairings that can be used to produce the DEC

The Specialist and Rare Variety Open Show in the UK, of which I am the show organizer, provides separate classes for them rather than combining them with the Recessive Pied’s as in all other shows. At the 1989 show a young Yellow DEC cock of mine came third in the Recessive Pied breeder CC line-up. He won best DEC in show and repeated his success as an adult the following year. The same bird was second in the breeder CC line-up at another area championship show. This was a pleasant success for me indeed.

In 1988 I paired the best of the two DEC cocks that I had acquired, with one of my best Recessive Pied hens. That pair produced three White DEC hens and some Recessive Pieds. Again, using the best of those hens back to one of my best Recessive Pied cocks the following year, produced three Yellow DEC cocks, one of which I mentioned above. Now the quality of those DEC’s are such that I use them with Recessive Pieds instead of splits as partners. In this way there is no production of inferior quality splits and therefore, no wastage.

There is great scope for the Recessive Pied breeder in taking up breeding DEC’s, as there is no wastage with them. They are exhibited in the same class as the Recessive Pied. With understanding and appreciation by the judges, they did win CC’s allocated to them in conjunction with the Recessive Pied, in the early and mid-90s.

Show Preparation

By Joe McGovern

We as a partnership have always taken huge pride in show preparation. On average we are preparing 80 birds for every show. We enter 60-65 birds to most shows. We entered 55 to the BS Club Show benching 52. We would have entered more but for the 1st time at this show, previous year birds were classed as Young Birds, so the 2025 babies stayed at home and will get their chance during our summer shows. This suited a lot of breeders being able to show 2024 birds as babies but, as for anything new like this can have its pro’s & con’s.

Back to preparation, we separate the cocks into pairs and the hens are all together in 1 of our nursery cages which can hold approx. 60+ babies.  On average we are preparing 20-25 hens. Cocks are divided for the sole reason they become dominant when in show condition. We find that if cocks are in groups of 3+, we end up with at least 1 of them with cut heads. Unlike the hens, they very rarely fight when in groups.

We spray the birds every other day with luke warm water and we add Johnson’s plume spray into the 1.5L spray gun. Young birds at 5 months plus are sprayed in a show cage every time, this is also how we show train them. Firstly, we dip their tails in hot water, reason being is that this reduces the chances of the tail snapping. My nonscientific explanation is “When dipped in hot water, the tail becomes a bendy twig but when not dipped it’s a twig that can snap easily”.

Next, the birds are sprayed and when wet they tend to learn to stay on the perch. If this fails, we either turn the cage upside down as they don’t like the slanted edge of a show cage. Another method is we put water (2-3mm deep) in the bottom of the show cage and they don’t like sitting in water.

What we call “our best show birds” we have 5 cages with full time access to a show cage. This works in our favour when showing the best birds, as the birds are used to the show cage. Also, another 1% tip we give to people is, if possible, have access to a show cage in your nursery cages. We showed this to Colin Flanagan when he visited and his response was genius – “I’ve been breeding birds for 60+ years, why the hell (polite term) have I not thought of that” And he hid his eyes behind his hands.

As for de-spotting the birds, we use scissors. Pulling spots will only cause them to grow back within 2-3 weeks. Then the bird has quills and ruins them for future shows in the calendar year.  Also the key feature of using scissors is that when we cut an unwanted spot, the feather is still in place with only the colour of the mask, this reduces the look of a split mask.  We also de-spot gradually. Meaning, 2 weeks before a show we de-spot a bird sometimes 3 times before the show. Limited time in the hand and not rushing to complete.

Finally, Pen Feather / Quills. We describe Quills in 4 stages

1. Blood Quill – Visual of blood in the quill
2. Rubber Quill – 95% of the quill is now in a “rubber type” with only 5% blood at the bottom, squeeze to close to the bottom and it could pop.
3. Flat Quill – No visual blood, the quill can be flattened (I use my thumb and 1st finger). The feather does not release out of this “Flat quill” but is only 1-2 days away from doing so.
4. Quill Release – The quill can be tweaked with finger and thumb or tweezers (note – NEVER PULL always squeeze) and a dust is formed from the quill, releasing the feather.

If anyone would like to see a video of this, please message me on Facebook and I can send pictures and videos of the above.  Anyway, thank you once again for this opportunity and I hope this can help. Good luck and happy Budgie-ing everyone ☘️

Water Wise Budgies

How Nature’s Design Can Go Wrong in the Breeding Room

By Dr Hamish Baron BVSc (Hons), MVS (Avian Medicine),  PhD, FANZCVS (Avian Medicine and Surgery)

• They produce uric acid, not urea like mammals do. This waste product forms a white paste (urates) that uses very little water to get rid of nitrogen from their food.
• Their kidneys are built for arid life. Unlike mammals that concentrate their urine, budgie kidneys actively pump out uric acid with little water. The intestines and cloaca also help by reabsorbing water before waste is passed.
• They behave cleverly. Wild budgies feed early in the morning or late in the day, when it’s cooler, to reduce water loss through breathing. They also choose seeds with a bit more moisture when they can.

All these features mean budgies can go for long periods without drinking, relying on moisture from their food. In the wild, this keeps them healthy even during dry spells.

When Captivity Challenges Nature
In our aviaries, we often feed and supplement budgies far beyond what their wild ancestors would ever get. This is especially true in exhibition and breeding birds, where the goal is big, robust show birds and healthy, fast-growing chicks. But this well-meaning extra nutrition can sometimes backfire.

Too Much Protein
Wild budgies eat seeds low in protein. When we add high-protein soft foods, egg mixes, and sprouted seeds—especially during breeding—we can easily overshoot what their bodies need. The extra protein turns into extra uric acid. The kidneys have to work overtime to get rid of it, and if they can’t keep up, uric acid crystals can build up inside the kidneys and on organs. This leads to a painful and often fatal condition called gout.

Too Much Calcium and Vitamin D3
To support egg laying and chick growth, many fanciers add calcium and vitamin D3 supplements. But overdoing it can lead to dangerous calcium levels in the blood. This can cause calcium deposits in the kidneys (nephrocalcinosis) that damage the delicate filters and pipes that keep waste moving. Once the kidneys start to fail, water balance is affected too, and the bird may develop excessive urination (polyuria) and dehydration.

What You Might See in Affected Birds
Budgies with kidney problems may show:

• Drinking and urinating more
• Fluffed up appearance, lethargy
• Weight loss despite eating
• Poor feather condition
• Swollen abdomen (in some cases)
• White chalky deposits around joints (in severe gout)

Sadly, many birds show no clear signs until their kidneys are badly damaged.

How Fanciers Can Protect Their Birds
Feed a balanced diet. Breeding birds don’t need unlimited high-protein foods. Offer soft foods and supplements thoughtfully, and only as needed during breeding.
Go easy on the calcium and vitamin D3. Avoid stacking supplements (e.g. cuttlefish, grit, vitamin powder, fortified soft food all at once). Remember: more is not always better.
Provide variety. Just like wild budgies, give them access to a range of seeds, greens, and natural foods.
Watch for subtle signs. Birds that seem to be drinking or urinating more than usual may need a vet check. Early detection of kidney trouble can make all the difference.

Final Thoughts
Our budgies rely on us to give them the best of both worlds—the security of captivity with respect for the brilliant design nature gave them. By understanding how these little desert survivors manage their water, we can make better choices in the aviary and keep them healthy for many years

Fancier In Focus: Ivan Mamic

Across the Ditch – A Kiwi Keeper’s Tale

Nationals of Yesteryear 

The Budgerigar Fancy

The second World War put a stop to many activities including those within the bird fraternity. I was born before the second World War (yes, I am not a baby Boomer). My father and grandparents were all interested in birds, so the interest was passed on. In 1943, when Pearl Harbour was bombed, my father’s boss passed on to me a number of “cage bird” magazines and as I could read from an early age, I started reading these magazines. I was subsequently introduced to bird shows, clubs and debates on budgie ideals, Standards and the naming of varieties. Mr. R.B. Browne certainly was able to debate from his own experience, if anybody would like to read about Silvers, Apple Greens, Whitewings etc. These articles are in “Australian Cage Birds” from 1936 to 1937 and puts a stop on the theory of two mutations of Greywings. I have to admit, this did not mean anything to me until the 1950’s.

In these early years after the war, we had a number of organisations putting input into the bird world. These included The Royal Zoological Society, The Australian Budgerigar Council, The Canary & Cagebird Federation and many clubs affiliated with Canary and Cagebird Federation, all debating and putting forward many ideas & ideals on shows and Standards. By the 1950’s The Canary & Cagebird Federation became ruling body when it came to bird shows rules and regulations.

I had then joined the Sydenham-Bankstown Aviculture Society and was keen on budgerigars because of the range of colour and markings, unlike my dad’s canaries where blue was grey and green was heavily marked. I was sooner or later going to be a budgerigar exhibitor. Now with some money, I could go from pet shop to pet shop with money to buy and buy I did with no idea other than the next colour I wanted. The next step came when a friend asked me to help take his Budgies to a show – not sure if it was Croydon or Croydon Park.

After a long walk carrying four show cages each, we arrived at the venue for what was called a ‘Lawn Show’ in a back yard of a fellow member. These Lawn Shows were always low-key affairs with only two to three hundred birds, but plenty of time to talk on breeding results and the next show coming. I was looking at exhibits when one of the top breeders of the day came up and asked if I have any questions about the birds? I did. “Why does one bird win and another run out of a placing”. The classes were from about eight to twelve per class, so he had plenty to show me between faults and good show features and I have been looking ever since.

Like all exhibition fans, our birds were exhibited at combined show with canaries, finches and parrots. Run at leisurely pace, we took the birds in Friday night, they were judged on the Saturday and we had all day Sunday to discuss the results and think about what we might do at the next show. These were great days, but costs of halls and time for people is at a premium. An old friend, which has since passed away felt that people turn into pumpkins if away from home too long?

These were exciting times for budgerigar breeders and specialist budgerigar clubs which were opening up all over Sydney. I, for one, as a teenager joined Yagoona and District Budgerigar Society, but continued to exhibit at mixed clubs. Some of the clubs I followed were Sydenham-Bankstown, North Ryde, Rockdale, Fairfield, Blue Mountains, Granville, Paramatta, and Picton. These were only some of the clubs I can remember, but there were many others and I must add some of these were AP & I shows where exhibitions would try to ride the Bucking Bulls.

During the 1950’s Harley Yardley, the man who bred Clearwings like the one on the old club badge, was President of the Budgerigar Society of Australasia and he visited some of the Budgerigar Clubs asking them to become branches of the B.S.A. His punch line was together we stand, or divided we fall. His wisdom was recognised and most clubs became branches of the B.S.A. My club Yagoona became Padstow Branch of the B.S.A. Others I remember were Northside, St George, Illawarra, and Western Area. This meant we pooled our resources to run the B.S.A. Annual, print standards, combine for insurance purposes and train judges. The Annual show was becoming a problem before the mergers, as each club felt it was somebody else’s job. We were saved by our patron Sir Edward Holstrom whom procured the Sydney Townhall for the venue, donated most of the prizes and garnered over 1000 exhibits, probably close to 2,000 birds. It was not until we all pulled together and we had Harold Cooper as a Show Manager that we started to approach this level of entry. Things were really changing for the Budgerigar exhibitors during the 50-70’s. One of the problems we had was Canary & Cage Birds was mostly manned by Canary breeders who blocked the motions to change rules to suit the budgerigar exhibitions. Namely;

1. We had to put only panicum seed on the floor of show cages, whereas we wanted to use budgerigar mixed seed
2. We were unable to have a split plastic ring on the opposite leg; this made it very difficult for breeders or recessive varieties as we wanted to identify these birds and not cull them accidently.
3. The ring issued and definition of a young bird did not work with budgerigars.

This came to a head when Dr. Harry Cooper moved that we drop out of the Canary and Cage Bird Federation and make our own rules. This was seconded by myself and carried unanimously. This made a vast difference to the Budgie exhibitors. Prior to this, Dr. Harry had been elected as Show Manager and put the idea to B.S.A. management that the Show Manager be elected for twelve months and be empowered to select the committee and present this to B.S.A. management by the next management meeting. The first committee was as follows:

• Show Secretary – Bruce Bradford
• Assistant Show Secretary – Col Morgan
• Trophy and prizes Manager – Jean Painter
• Publicity and Chief Steward – Ron Hunt

Over the years several others like Ross Cooper and Ray Kramer came on board to help with Annual Shows, State Teams competitions, Annual dinners and other things that management passed on. The originals continued on for several decades and proved successful. These years were the high point of the B.S.A., with branch shows fielding around 1,000 entries and the Society’s Annual Show at Rose Bay RSL always fielding well over 1,000 entries. On one occasion, it had 1,800 entries and required 10 judges.

Many things were happening during the 1970-80’s, some were the making of the hobby, and some a step backwards. The most important step forward was the creation of the Australian National Budgerigar Council (ANBC). This brought fanciers from all states together and was the catalyst in forming a national Standard, national judging qualifications and a national show cage. The idea of a National Show came about when a group of fanciers from Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales put their heads together at the Griffith Cage Bird show during 1971. This generated a ground swell, which gave birth to the first national held at Kensington Victoria 1975, with only eleven classes.

To encourage the Societies with fewer members in the hosting state to be part of the competition, the early shows were run by the judges, standards and cages of the host state. However, this led to problems early on, which is the reason a committee was formed to establish a national Standard. The group consisted of the following members:

• NSW – Colin Morgan
• VIC – Harry Eady
• SA – George Duffield

This progressed to the Standard used today. The next problem was to have only qualified judges to judge the Nationals, therefore an exam process was implemented to qualify judges. At Yepoon in QLD in 1989, a group of qualified judges from each state came together to form the judges panel and type of exams. The group was:

• NSW – Ron Hunt
• VIC – Harry Eady
• SA – George Duffield
• QLD – Barney Hackney & Henry George
• TAS – Harry Copper

The decision was to have a theory exam. Those who passed then went on to judge two classes of 10 birds – one class being all birds of the same colour and variety, the second 10 birds that are all different varieties. The judges were to be honorary and able to claim travelling expenses.

Both these committees came into being without any objections and proved invaluable to creating the high standards we know today. The major problem came when trying to establish a national show cage because of the variation to each state show cage. This was met with serious objections from the states who were unable to adjust their existing cages.

The answer was to have a completely new cage favouring none of the existing cages. How did all this effect the B.S.A.? Well, we were the only member body of the ANBC who had Australia in its title, so on the 17^th of January 1994, the B.S.A. notified Consumer Affairs that the Budgerigar Society of Australia has changed its name to the Budgerigar Society of NSW Inc. This change was welcomed by all other members of the ANBC. The then B.S.A was scheduled to host the ANBC in NSW in 1979 and having previously hosted in 1976 we were well aware of the cost to run the event and felt we needed to raise more funds to hold the event, so an auction was put forward as a means of raising the money. This was quite successful and was staged at the Gladesville RSL in 1978. Auctions have now taken the place of the sale day’s, and I feel they have left a hole when it comes to learning about the varieties and breeding and pairing techniques. This is probably why yellows are green, Greywings are showing as Clearwings, and ‘Normalines’ are shown as Opalines.

The seller in those days had a fixed price for the best of the culls and less for the second-best group. Each buyer was only able to buy two pair. They could make arrangements to call back at a later date to ask the seller for information on the lineage of the purchased birds, when they were bred and even see the parents. The members selling birds who provided morning or afternoon tea and friendly chats, often became good friends and seemed to stay in the lobby a lot longer than newcomers today. The only competition was being the first one to buy and it meant getting out of bed a bit earlier than usual as the rule was always first in, best dressed. The problem with the auctions is, we do not attract teenagers anymore as the prices are so high they can’t buy birds out of their pocket money. Mum and dad probably say to them when you are earning your own money, you can buy your own budgerigars. Most go away disappointed and play computer games or buy zebra finches and are lost to our part of the hobby.

Please note, this is the history of the Budgerigar fancy as seen by me, the changes and developments of our hobby. I would like to see the hobby go back to creating the varieties to look like the written word in the Standard and not near enough being good enough. Back in the day, the different varieties attracted different people to the hobby, thus increasing the number of members. Winning the best of their variety was a great achievement and members were satisfied with this, verses today it appears members are only satisfied winning Grand Champion status. The joy of other competitions seems to have been lost. Remember all changes do not always help the cause.

Ron Hunt

Much like the 1980s following the golden era of the 1970s, June often struggles to live up to the energy and excitement of May—a month packed with Club & State selections, as well as the all-important National Titles. However, I’m happy to say June was another standout month for the BCV, with two great events rounding out the calendar—the Eastern Districts and Riverina Auctions. Both auctions once again highlighted the depth of talent and camaraderie in our community. We also had a few of our members head over to the UK for the 100th anniversary show, which was great to have some of our membership represented internationally at such a milestone event.

The Eastern Districts Auction, held at Forest Hill Hall, was not just a chance to acquire quality birds but also a reminder of the strong network we’ve built in the eastern suburbs. The turnout was impressive, with members new and old catching up over a shared appreciation for quality budgerigars. A wide range of birds across multiple varieties were presented, and the standard was excellent. Credit must go to Mitch Parr and his team for their seamless organisation and tireless commitment to delivering a professional and welcoming event.

Later in the month, the Riverina Budgerigar Society’s Auction in Barooga brought together some of the finest studs from across state lines. There was a real buzz around the lots— but the real connection was in the social dinner on the Saturday night. Fanciers from several states got together, as the budgie family that exhibits birds came together only a month after the Nationals. It’s clear we love to spend time in one another’s company. The turn out reflected the strong interest from both local and interstate fanciers.

What stood out to me at both events wasn’t just the birds—it was the people. The conversations, the mentorship offered over coffee, and the quiet pride as junior members made their first bids or asked seasoned breeders for advice. That’s what makes these live auctions so special—they’re more than transactions; they’re touchpoints for learning, connecting, and progressing together. Its always about those human stories, and the social aspect of the hobby. That’s one of the reasons why we advocate for the in-person live events here in Victoria.

Both auctions were also a reminder that our shared standards and affiliation through the BCV create consistency, professionalism, and purpose in everything we do. And I believe that consistency is what continues to attract new fanciers to our clubs.

To all the organisers, volunteers, vendors, and attendees—thank you. Your passion for the hobby and your generosity of spirit do not go unnoticed. These events don’t just run themselves—it takes planning, early mornings, and hard work, and it’s always appreciated.

As we look ahead to July, let’s carry forward that same energy and community spirit. Whether you’re preparing for the next show, mentoring a new member, or simply enjoying time in the birdroom, remember—you’re part of something bigger. And it’s looking strong.

Regards,

Peter Thurn
President – BCV

June was a fairly quiet month on the budgie scene in NSW with only two main events, both of which happened on the same weekend.

On 21st June St George Budgerigar Club of NSW held a live auction at Bexley with 215 lots on offer. There were birds on offer for all budgets and I think most people went home happy.

On Sunday 22nd June Orana Avicultural Society hosted their annual show at Dubbo which was sponsored by Donut King Dubbo. A report on the show follows below.

We would like to wish the BSNSW Chairperson Steve Wackwitz a speedy recovery after a heart attack last weekend and his stay in hospital to get stents in 3 arteries.

Regards

James Matthews
BSNSW Secretary

A great mix of both new and long-time budgerigar breeders attended Orana Avicultural Society’s 41st Annual Show in Dubbo. Dubbo is a vibrant regional city located in the very heart of NSW, approximately 400 km’s northwest of Sydney, and is known as the “hub of the west”.

On the evening prior to the show, the Orana Avicultural Society hosted a wonderful social get-together dinner at the Dubbo Macquarie Inn, whilst some exhibitors and their families took the opportunity whilst in Dubbo to visit Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Australia’s largest open-range zoo).

Exhibitors, judges and visitors to the show were treated to a well-run show with a high standard of exhibits across all avicultural species – Budgerigars, Canaries, Finches, Parrots, Quail and Doves.

Notable budgerigar fanciers attending the event included: John Scoble, Reg Bohringer, Perc Anlezark, and Andrew Plunkett, with BSNSW Judge Richard Bucior adjudicating over the budgerigar exhibits. Of course, Dubbo’s local legend Mark Hawke dropped by to snap a few photos too!

Budgerigar Major Awards list: 

🏆 Show Highlights – Award Winners
🥇 Grand Champion Budgerigar
Ian & Kathy Manton – Cinnamonwing Light Green Cock

🥈 Champion Opposite Sex
John Spicer – Normal Grey Green Hen

🌱 Champion Young
John Spicer – Normal Grey Green Hen

🐦 Champion Open Any Age
Ian & Kathy Manton – Cinnamonwing Light Green Cock

🐦 Champion Opposite Sex, Open Any Age
John Spicer – Normal Grey Green Hen

🐥 Champion Open Young
Ian & Kathy Manton – Normal Green Cock

🐥 Champion Opposite Sex, Open Young
Ian & Kathy Manton – Normal Grey Hen

🎓 Champion Intermediate Budgerigar
John Spicer – Normal Grey Green Hen

🎓 Champion Intermediate Opposite Sex
Peter “Wonga” Wheeler – Normal Grey Green Cock

🌟 Champion Novice Budgerigar
Craig Gill – Opaline Sky Cock

🌟 Champion Novice Opposite Sex
Craig Gill – Cinnamonwing Hen

👯 Best Pair
Ian & Kathy Manton – Normal Grey Greens

🏅 Most Budgerigar Specials
Ian & Kathy Manton – Including six Best of Variety in Show awards

Judge, Richard Bucior later noted:
“The quality of the birds was quite good overall, and I thought the Novice birds were very competitive. Some of the birds that stood out (besides the Major winners) were Ian & Kathy Manton’s young Clearwing hen – a good-sized bird with good outline and a very good variety bird, and Brad Kerr’s Any Age Crested Cock had a nice big full circle crest and good outline. The Grand Champion owned by Ian & Kathy Manton was a very nice bird that showed well on the day. John Spicer’s Champion Opposite Sex, Champion Young Bird and Champion Intermediate was a Normal Grey Green – a nice big hen that was not in full condition. Champion Novice was a very nice Opaline Sky Cock owned by Craig & Josh Gill”.

Hello Fellow Members,

The 49th Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles have concluded with resounding success! A heartfelt congratulations to Bruce Schuster and his dedicated team of workers who ensured the show ran smoothly, tackling any challenges with ease.

A big thank you also goes to our four exceptional carers—Russell, Cheryl, Peter, and Doug—for their outstanding efforts in preparing and grooming our birds for competition. The birds were presented in top condition, and the results spoke for themselves: the North Queensland Zone achieved the highest overall points ever recorded at a Nationals. Well done, team!

Meanwhile, the Capricornia Budgerigar Auction, held in June, showcased a strong lineup of birds from both local and interstate breeders. The quality on offer was impressive, with interstate entries commanding some of the top prices. Congratulations to all involved in organising such a successful event.
That’s all for now—best of luck with your breeding as we look ahead to 2026!

Warm regards,
Bill Schultz
NQBZ President

The MBC Auction was held in Bassendean, bringing together some of Western Australia’s most respected breeders including Mick Gearing, Ben Bathols, Norm Wheatley, Alan Jaeschke, and many more. With over 90 birds on offer, including national-winning bloodlines and exceptional breeding stock, the event was a great success, raising much needed funds for the Club.

It seems every month is a busy month in budgerigars, and June was no different. Coming off the back of the 49th Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles however, it may have been a surprise to some. The month kicked off with the BSSA hosting a talk from Colin Elix of the Lower Murray Bird Club, focusing on how to successfully breed birds in a small back yard. Colin has a typical modern residential backyard, and successfully has seven different aviaries in – eight if he can convince ever convince his wife Helen to give up the fernery. He talked through the design considerations for maximising the footprint, and accessibility.

The following week, the North East held their annual Tender Sale, which was a night abuzz with a silent auction of close to 50 birds in the hall to Club members over the course of the meeting. The night always draws a good crowd, keen to find a bargain, and this year wasn’t any different.

Port Pirie then held their meeting and aviary tour of Malcolm & Jill Loveridge in Moonta Bay. The couple has always strongly represented South Australia at the Nationals, and this year was no different, with a third in the Albinos. Malcolm & Jill put on a great lunch, while local vet Dr. Catherine Sloper talked about the various services available to members out on the Yorke Peninsula.

June also saw the 50th Anniversary Show for the North East Budgerigar Society. 190 birds were entered, with 159 benched on the day, and Grand Champion being awarded to the Ladies Exhibit, in Kelly Scholefield. Best Opposite Sex went to the Holmes Family, while Andrew Swift won Best Novice, and Judith Hawker Best Novice Opposite Sex.

The same weekend saw the Animal Expo in Adelaide at the Wayville Pavillion of the Show Grounds. As such, the love for pets in general were very much on display across various media platforms in the State.

The month rounded out with the Port Pirie Hutchinson Show in Crystalbrook. Ray Slade from Victoria judged the Major Awards, from the 195 entered. The Show also incorporated a combined show with the Zebra finch club, adding another 60 birds to the Hall. Congratulations to Geoff Edwards who won Grand Champion with a Cinnamonwing Grey Green cock, and to Peter Glassenbury, with Best Opposite Sex.

Warm Regards,

Troy Holmes
BCSA President

🐦 BSSA Ron Norman 76th Annual Show – 2025 (Incorporating Come & Try)
📅 Sunday, 6 July 2025
📍 Ascot Park Scout Hall – 51 Sixth Street, Ascot Park

The BSSA is proud to host the Ron Norman 76th Annual Show. For questions, contact Show Manager George England on 0418 819 705.

⏰ Schedule:

• Benching from 9:30 a.m.
• Judging begins at 10:30 a.m.
• Trophy Presentation at 2:00 p.m. (no early removal of birds)

🥪 Lunch provided for all exhibitors.

The Tasmanian Budgerigar Society held its winter presentation show at the midway point hall on the 21/6/25. With 131 young birds, 24 adult birds and 18 UBCs judging was underway at 10am with Derek Poole (ANBC Judge) and Peter Kross (probationary judge) in charge of proceedings. There were some top-quality birds on display and many keen exhibitors looking on.

Some of the main awards from the day were:

• Champion bird of show was an Opaline ASC exhibited by the Charlesworth family with this bird also being Champion Young Bird in Show and also Champion Open Bird in Show
• Champion Intermediate Bird in Show was a Dominant Pied exhibited by Geoff Voss, who also exhibited the Reserve Intermediate Bird.
• Champion Novice Bird was a Normal Grey Green exhibited by Michael Jones, who also took out Reserve Champion and Opposite Sex with a Lutino hen.

Once all major awards were presented, we shifted to the presentation of rosettes and awards to those who had birds selected for the Tasmanian zone.

Tasmania had two wins at the 49th Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles in Cairns, which is the first time we have had multiple wins at National level since 2012.

John Burt exhibited a standout Albino, which was his first National win, and Tasmania’s first for the weekend. This was the first time John has bred and exhibited birds after a long period away from the hobby. Congratulations John.

Roy Blair exhibited a Spangle Cinnamonwing, which was judged the Logie winner. Ironically, it was his last exhibit at the Nationals, as Roy is moving away from birds. Congratulations Roy.

Tasmania also had two first time National representatives in the Shepherd family and Michael Jones. Congratulations to all involved.

Warm Regards,

Dale Ward
BCT President

During this period, I’ve been overwhelmed by the kind words and well wishes for the work that goes into the Gazette. While I truly appreciate the sentiment, I’m just one cog in the machine that brings it all together. It’s a team effort through and through — and it’s that collaboration that always delivers the best outcomes. Keep sending me through requests, and thanks to all the contributors.

Neale R Love
Editor, ANBC Gazette
secretary@anbc.org.au
Mob 0421 471 781