Post by daz on Feb 16, 2007 21:30:51 GMT
There are many factors to consider if you are aiming to breed the ultimate budgerigar. The art of breeding a show-winner lies in your ability to combine all of these in a single bird. Let us discuss the points which are necessary to make up the formula for breeding a show winner. These are not necessarily in order of importance.
The Head
This can be sub-divided into categories:
Width of Head - The Ideal bird should have sufficient width between the eyes i.e. when you look at it from the front, you should not be able to see the eyes.
Width of Face - This term should not be confused with width of head - a budgerigar can have a good width of head and a narrow face, we term this 'pinched'. When viewed from the front, the area next to the beak on both sides, as well as below the eyes, should be full and not hollow.
Frontal - There is nothing more spectacular than a budgerigar displaying good frontal-rise. When viewed from the side, the forehead should commence at the cere, lifting outward and upward.
Top-Skull - This is one of the most difficult features to breed into a budgerigar. It is the distance between the eye and the top of the head. A good specimen should display sufficient height above the eye.
Back-Skull - Another very important aspect. You will see that the top birds at shows excel in this feature. It gives that extra bit of class and finish to a winner. This is the distance between the eye and the back of the head.
Beak - It must be well tucked in and only slightly visible when viewed from the side. When viewed from the front it must be well set into the face. Birds displaying this characteristic usually have the 'downward look' which is so important in an exhibition budgerigar.
Eye - Although the current Ideal describes the position of the eye to be central in the head, most of the top breeders are now breeding birds with the distance to the front of the cere from the eye 25%, and the distance behind 75%.
Mask - This is the lower picture frame of the face of the bird, and together with the spots add the finishing touch. It should be wide, deep and clear.
Spots - There should be six large, round, evenly spaced throat spots, the outer two being partially covered by the cheek patches. The spots should be placed within the mask, just inside the lowest point so that the outline of the mask is just visible.
Neck - Must be short and thick when viewed from the front, back or either side.
Shape
The shape or outline of the bird should taper gracefully from the nape of the neck to the tip of the tail, with an approximately straight back-line and a deep, nicely curved chest. The wings should be well braced, carried just above the cushion of the tail and should not cross. There should be seven primary flight feathers and the length of the wings should be approximately 90mm (3 3/4 inches).
Common faults in the shape of the budgerigar include:
Broken backline
Hump on the neck
Hump on the cushion
Hollow back
Protruding chest
Crossed wings
Drooping tails
Falling away behind the perch
The body of the Ideal budgerigar should carry through behind the perch in a graceful sweep, and the tail, which consists of two long feathers, should be carried in a straight line with the body.
Size
The ideal length of a budgerigar is 216mm (8 1/2 inches) from the top of the head to the tip of the tail. The body should also be full and not show any signs of hollowness or any excess weight and should be well proportioned.
Deportment
This is generally called 'type', which means the way in which the bird sits on the perch, or the style of the bird. The ideal show-bird should have a proud, fearless look and ideally, should pull its head slightly back, as well as having a downward look. A real 'showman'. The position on the perch should be steady and at an angle of 30 degrees from the vertical.
Legs And Feet
These should be straight and strong, with the two front and two rear toes and claws, firmly gripping the perch.
Markings And Colour
Wavy markings on the cheeks, head, neck, back and wings should be clearly visible. The colour should be clear, level and of an even shade.
I have described the "Ideal Budgerigar" that we all would like to breed, but you must remember that there are not many of them around. So when you are endeavouring to buy a bird and it does not show all these features, you must not be over critical.
Certain characteristics are not desirable in a show-bird, but are very important in a stock-bird, such as coarse feathering and long flightedness. A bird may also excel in one feature and fail in another, but it is entirely up to the breeder to put the jig-saw puzzle together in building the "Ideal Budgerigar".
Information by Johan Theunissen
The Head
This can be sub-divided into categories:
Width of Head - The Ideal bird should have sufficient width between the eyes i.e. when you look at it from the front, you should not be able to see the eyes.
Width of Face - This term should not be confused with width of head - a budgerigar can have a good width of head and a narrow face, we term this 'pinched'. When viewed from the front, the area next to the beak on both sides, as well as below the eyes, should be full and not hollow.
Frontal - There is nothing more spectacular than a budgerigar displaying good frontal-rise. When viewed from the side, the forehead should commence at the cere, lifting outward and upward.
Top-Skull - This is one of the most difficult features to breed into a budgerigar. It is the distance between the eye and the top of the head. A good specimen should display sufficient height above the eye.
Back-Skull - Another very important aspect. You will see that the top birds at shows excel in this feature. It gives that extra bit of class and finish to a winner. This is the distance between the eye and the back of the head.
Beak - It must be well tucked in and only slightly visible when viewed from the side. When viewed from the front it must be well set into the face. Birds displaying this characteristic usually have the 'downward look' which is so important in an exhibition budgerigar.
Eye - Although the current Ideal describes the position of the eye to be central in the head, most of the top breeders are now breeding birds with the distance to the front of the cere from the eye 25%, and the distance behind 75%.
Mask - This is the lower picture frame of the face of the bird, and together with the spots add the finishing touch. It should be wide, deep and clear.
Spots - There should be six large, round, evenly spaced throat spots, the outer two being partially covered by the cheek patches. The spots should be placed within the mask, just inside the lowest point so that the outline of the mask is just visible.
Neck - Must be short and thick when viewed from the front, back or either side.
Shape
The shape or outline of the bird should taper gracefully from the nape of the neck to the tip of the tail, with an approximately straight back-line and a deep, nicely curved chest. The wings should be well braced, carried just above the cushion of the tail and should not cross. There should be seven primary flight feathers and the length of the wings should be approximately 90mm (3 3/4 inches).
Common faults in the shape of the budgerigar include:
Broken backline
Hump on the neck
Hump on the cushion
Hollow back
Protruding chest
Crossed wings
Drooping tails
Falling away behind the perch
The body of the Ideal budgerigar should carry through behind the perch in a graceful sweep, and the tail, which consists of two long feathers, should be carried in a straight line with the body.
Size
The ideal length of a budgerigar is 216mm (8 1/2 inches) from the top of the head to the tip of the tail. The body should also be full and not show any signs of hollowness or any excess weight and should be well proportioned.
Deportment
This is generally called 'type', which means the way in which the bird sits on the perch, or the style of the bird. The ideal show-bird should have a proud, fearless look and ideally, should pull its head slightly back, as well as having a downward look. A real 'showman'. The position on the perch should be steady and at an angle of 30 degrees from the vertical.
Legs And Feet
These should be straight and strong, with the two front and two rear toes and claws, firmly gripping the perch.
Markings And Colour
Wavy markings on the cheeks, head, neck, back and wings should be clearly visible. The colour should be clear, level and of an even shade.
I have described the "Ideal Budgerigar" that we all would like to breed, but you must remember that there are not many of them around. So when you are endeavouring to buy a bird and it does not show all these features, you must not be over critical.
Certain characteristics are not desirable in a show-bird, but are very important in a stock-bird, such as coarse feathering and long flightedness. A bird may also excel in one feature and fail in another, but it is entirely up to the breeder to put the jig-saw puzzle together in building the "Ideal Budgerigar".
Information by Johan Theunissen