Cage & Aviary Birds

Cage & Aviary Birds is written by bird experts for bird fanciers and is packed with club, show and bird related news, advice, birds for sale and comment. Established in 1902, Cage & Aviary Birds provides a wealth of practical advice and tips from the top names in the bird world, plus opinion, controversy, species and hobbyist profiles and nostalgia.

DEFRA: Passeriformes brought back on to GL

Christmas raffle will support the DEFRA challenge

QUOTE of the WEEK

Also in the news…

British Wildlife Photography Awards: winners announced!

New society forms to boost the Gouldian finch

Park Life

Getting our house in order • NCA chairman BARRY MILLS summarises the latest NCA partnership meeting and sets out the key priorities for the ongoing negotiations with DEFRA. All organisers of sales or shows should take note

HERBIE HATCHER

GET SHIRTY!

Editor's Letter

Cage & Aviary Birds

Something different, please! • For too many birdkeepers, 2025 was a double-whammy year that served up both low breeding success and meagre show totals. LARRY MANN reviews the scene in the fancy and looks forward to a better experience this coming year

March: a month of movement • For the canary breeder, everything speeds up this month! Border champion STUART MASON explains how to organise your priorities, dodge the potholes – and enjoy the ride

Is this the year for my robins? • Both rufous-tailed and Pekins are getting into the mood in GARY BRALSFORD's collection, and he's hoping that these challenging softbills go on to break their breeding duck for him

Toucans large and small • Taking the magnificent keel-billed toucan as his main subject, BILL NAYLOR profiles one of the world's most recognisable bird families – which is a lot more diverse than we might think

A model event at Guildford • Surrey-based birdkeeper DAVE BROWN reports from a local monthly sale which may offer a template for successfully staging events under the tighter new regulations

Insights on diet and wellbeing • Always one to think for himself, HARRY HOCKADAY has strong views on feeding his birds and maintaining them in health. Part Two of an extended interview with SAM WILDES

Q&A: Alan Stead • Consistent show results are a clear indicator that a stud has depth, quality and direction. In the world of lovebirds, few breeders show this more convincingly than ALAN STEAD, whose Fischer's have taken the top lovebird award at the National Exhibition in both 2024 and 2025. His birds have become known not only for their colour and condition, but also for their steady show temperament – something many fanciers agree is half the battle. In the first of two conversations with DAVE BROWN, Alan talks about how he entered the hobby, how he found his way to lovebirds, and the story behind his run of show success

The road to the rock dove • Following his articles about that underrated bird the feral pigeon in the January 7 and February 4 issues, HEIN VAN GROUW rounds off the winding tale of how Columbia livia originally got its name. It's one to remember next time you look at a ‘town’ pigeon!

Club News • Welcome to the club and show pages – the bit that's all about you

Dedicated to Geoff Walker

What's on this week

Club roundup • Show reports, dates, club notices

Obituary