Nev Donaldson 2026

From a childhood pair of budgerigars to National Championship success, Nev Donaldson’s journey through the Budgerigar Fancy spans more than six decades of breeding, exhibiting, judging and service to the hobby.

A former President of the South Queensland Budgerigar Breeders Association, a two-time National Fallow class winner and a respected Open exhibitor, Nev has witnessed the Fancy evolve across generations.

In this edition of ANBC Fancier in Focus, Nev reflects on his early beginnings and exhibition successes. He also discusses the challenges of returning to the hobby after an extended absence. Furthermore, he shares his thoughts on the future of exhibition budgerigars.

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My Lifelong Journey with Budgerigars

My lifelong journey with budgerigars began, as it did for many of us, during my childhood. I was about 10 to 12 years old. At that time, my older cousin, who lived approximately 100 metres away, gave me a pair of budgerigars to get started.

My father built me an aviary measuring approximately 2 metres by 2 metres. It was sheeted on three sides, with chicken wire across the front.

The varieties of the original pair now elude me, but they produced, among other offspring, what I called a “brown one” – a Cinnamon Grey. Neither parent was this colour, and this sparked my interest in budgerigar genetics.

I continued breeding pet-shop birds for several years until I left home to attend university.

During those early years, I learnt some valuable lessons about aviary security. One night, a pack of local dogs tore the chicken wire off the front of my aviary, allowing all my birds to escape.

So, it was back to square one! In hindsight, perhaps this was a good introduction to the disappointments that can sometimes come with the Fancy.

Progression to a Specialist Club

After graduating from university, I was posted to Yeppoon, where I had my first exposure to a budgerigar club, the Capricorn Budgerigar Society (CBS).

I joined the club and began breeding again, although my stay in Yeppoon was short-lived, lasting only 16 months.

In 1977, I moved to Gympie and built an aviary. Then I was approached to join the Gympie Budgerigar Society, which I was happy to do.

I quickly developed an interest in exhibition budgerigars, and my exposure to the exhibition side of the hobby expanded through contact with clubs to the north, including Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone and Rockhampton, as well as several clubs in Brisbane and surrounding areas.

During the following decade, I was fortunate enough to obtain good foundation stock from successful breeders. I also enjoyed considerable success on the show bench, winning multiple Grand Champion awards.

“In those days, you didn’t need a friendly bank manager to acquire good stock – only friendly fellow breeders!”

Locally, our biggest show was the Wide Bay Challenge, contested by the Gympie, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone and Rockhampton clubs.

The event was run in a manner not dissimilar to the Nationals, with all major classes represented and clubs accumulating points in a similar fashion to the National competition. Additionally, Grand Champion and Grand Champion Opp Sex awards were also presented.

I was fortunate enough to win the Challenge on a couple of occasions.

Exploring the Varieties

One of the greatest benefits of my involvement with the home club was the opportunity to breed almost every variety, with the exception of crests. This experience also helped prepare me for the progression into judging.

Alongside the standard varieties, I bred Dark-Eyed Clears, Dutch Dominant Pieds, Saddlebacks and Greywing Yellows. I also exchanged varieties with breeders in the southern states.

This was during the period from 1980 to 1990, and it is pleasing to see some of these varieties enjoying their time in the spotlight at the Nationals some 40 to 46 years later.

Along with breeding, showing and judging, I tried to contribute to the Fancy by holding various positions within my home club and the South Queensland Budgerigar Breeders Association (SQBBA).

I was President of the SQBBA in 1988–1989.

I also floated the concept of a variable class at the National Council. The proposal was met with mixed feelings. However, the concept has survived over time.

A Passion for Judging

It was a natural progression for me to undertake and successfully complete the judges’ course. I am sure my experience in breeding almost all the varieties was a considerable advantage.

I feel strongly that more aspiring judges should follow this path, as it provides a deeper understanding of the varieties. Moreover, it offers valuable insight when judging the lesser-known varieties, now generally referred to as the Recessive Varieties.

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The Pinnacle – National Championship Success

The highlight of my time in the Fancy came at the Nationals held in Yeppoon in 1989. I was SQBBA President at the time, and South Queensland won the National Shield – what I believe was the only time we achieved this result. I also won the Fallow class at that National. Then I went on to win the same class in Melbourne the following year.

These were memorable achievements in my breeding career.

A Hiatus from the Hobby

Sadly, work and family commitments forced me to step away from the hobby from 2003 until 2021. However, my passion for budgerigars remained, and the desire to return never disappeared.

Returning to the Hobby

When I returned around 2021, many familiar names were still involved, while a number of new achievers had joined the ranks. Re-establishing myself was not easy, and it remains a work in progress. The expense involved in acquiring top-level stock is prohibitive for many breeders, meaning that most must rely on their own breeding skills and knowledge of genetics to develop their studs.

Building a competitive stud from lower-priced birds is possible, but even that approach can be expensive and requires considerable time, patience and knowledge. I returned as an Intermediate exhibitor, having previously competed in Open, and I am pleased to have regained my Open status.

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Inside Nev’s Current Aviary Setup

My current aviary is housed in a single-bay shed, divided into two main sections: a kitchen and storage area, and the birdroom itself.

The Kitchen and Storage Area

The first section serves as the kitchen, storage and cull area. It provides space for the day-to-day requirements of managing the stud.

The Birdroom

The entire facility is fully lined, sealed and insulated, with a variable-speed exhaust fan and programmable lighting.

The concrete floor slopes towards a grated drain, allowing me to strip the aviary down annually and pressure-clean the entire room.

Lighting is programmed to gradually ramp up from 5:00 am and ramp down to 7:00 pm from June through to October inclusive.

My breeding season generally extends from late June through to February.

Birdroom Layout and Equipment

Nev’s practical birdroom design incorporates controlled lighting, ventilation and easy-clean facilities to support his breeding and exhibition program.

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The Current State of the Fancy

I believe the Fancy is increasingly becoming more like a business than a hobby. This is discouraging younger people from joining and remaining involved.

All we need to do is look at the average age of today’s exhibitors and judges to recognise the challenge.

In my opinion, the expense associated with exhibition budgerigars has created a significant barrier for younger exhibitors.

“Without the involvement of younger people, the future of the Fancy is severely compromised.”

We need to consider how we can encourage the next generation to participate, develop their skills and enjoy the hobby. It is important that they do so without feeling that success is beyond their financial reach.

Artificial Insemination – A Subject for Discussion

I would also like to offer my thoughts on the use of artificial insemination (AI).

While this process can rapidly increase the number of quality birds produced within a stud, I feel it may also reduce the natural vigour of the stud if overused.

Furthermore, if a novice or Intermediate breeder, who may be relatively inexperienced with AI and its implications, purchases expensive birds from a stud heavily reliant on this practice, their chances of successfully breeding those birds naturally may be reduced.

Are we heading towards a situation where success depends increasingly on who is best at artificial insemination, rather than on traditional breeding skills and knowledge?

Is this a development we need to consider carefully?

I also believe there is a risk that some characteristics could be taken too far, particularly in relation to feather, the ability to fly and the natural ability to reproduce.

These are matters I feel deserve thoughtful consideration as we look towards the future of our Fancy.

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Looking to the Future

Due to illness, I realistically believe I may have only a couple of seasons left in the hobby.

My favourite variety is the Black-Eyed Self, and I am pleased to have returned to National-level competition with this variety, achieving seventh place in the class at the 2026 ANBC National Championships on the Gold Coast.

I hope to improve on that result in the seasons I have left.

Final Reflections

I fully appreciate that many fanciers will hold views different from my own.

In the main, I believe that differences of opinion are healthy for the Fancy, provided we can discuss them respectfully and constructively.

The views expressed throughout this profile are my own personal opinions, based on my experiences over many years in the hobby.

I wish all fanciers the pleasure, enjoyment and success they seek.

Yours in the Fancy,

Nev Donaldson

Open Exhibitor – South Queensland

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Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this profile are those of the featured breeder and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Australian National Budgerigar Council.