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.

GOWS 2025: UK comes 5th out of 23 countries

Can you tell the wild birds apart by their unique song?

QUOTE of the WEEK

Also in the news…

Farne Islands: a mixed picture for seabirds

BRCA: end of an era for the Westmorelands

PARROTS & PEOPLE

Classic Christmas advertising • Seasonal adverts in Cage Birds have varied wildly with the times, but always with an eye-catching bargain or – just as likely – a tall tale. Here we browse a selection from the regenerating 1920s through the affluent 30s to the wartime austerity of the 1940s

Cage & Aviary Birds

Intelligent, hardy and free-breeding • Especially when maintained on the colony system in an aviary, the cockatiel is a perfect species to keep, as its growing popularity attests. ROSEMARY LOW reports

Bev Kirby: a new star with Irish fancies • Within a few short seasons, BEV KIRBY has made a real impact on the Irish fancy show scene. From modest beginnings with a handful of birds bought at a local table sale, Bev has gone on to win best canary in show at last year's BKA Southern National Premier Show and then best novice at the 2025 National. It is an extraordinary achievement for someone so new to the breed. In the first part of her interview, Bev tells DAVE BROWN about her journey into birdkeeping, her early show successes and what she looks for in a top exhibition bird

Ready… steady… more steady! • After a late start to his show season, Andy is off the mark, though he reckons his first-time birds need to lose a bit of flightiness. At the same time he's planning early for next year, for a very special reason

Behind blue eyes • Or red, or white, or… in birds, the colour of the iris can say many different things. PAUL DONOVAN introduces a fascinating subject that's often neglected by bird enthusiasts

The mighty macaws of Córdoba • Recently, a vital population of great green macaws has been surveyed in northern Colombia. DAVID WAUGH describes the co-ordinated operation that found these magnificent birds, and what is being done to safeguard them

More time out than in the shed • With more judging than exhibiting commitments this show season, DAVE BROWN has had an eventful time of it – and his thoughts are now turning to breeding plans once again

The Gloster lady and her friends • In the October 29 Cage & Aviary Birds, Norman Wallace summarised his findings about the origin of the Gloster canary one hundred years ago. Here, following independent research, ANDY EARLY describes his own discoveries about the story that was begun by the remarkable Leonora Rogerson

Northumbrian Notes • It happened! The ground-breaking joint North-Eastern show, that is, which Austin has been working hard to organise along with dedicated fellow club members. Here he shares some of the practical challenges that other clubs may experience too – and also describes the impressive DNA sexing service that he's used with some of his young racing pigeons

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

Club roundup

What's coming up in the calendar