Showing Birds

Showing Birds Should be Fun

by Kevin Wirick

The show season will soon be upon us and there are many schools of thought as to even why we show birds.My first bird show that I attended was in 1969. I wasn't a member of our local club but it was interesting. The show was held in a grange hall located at 20th & Youngfield in Golden, CO. This hall was very small and there were birds everywhere. The club brought a judge in from California who judged all the birds. The club banquet was held at a restaurant down the street. There were just a handful of members but it looked interesting.

My next show was held at Lakeside shopping center. The center even paid the club to put on a show. The club did a great deal of publicity work and the press was there and it brought out a lot of people. One of the great contributions the club did by having shows was to bring interested people into the club. At this show, members joined who stayed in the club for many years and were a driving force for its success.

The public got the chance to see how we kept birds and why birds were judged the way they were. Because we had standards, people learned to breed their birds to those standards. Those who didn't just did poorly in the shows. In time though the better the birds shown the better the birds that were raised. Members bought birds into Colorado that were of a high standard. Birds that no one here had even seen. The spark generated by the quality of the birds shown increase the overall quality of the birds raised in this area.

Education was always such a part of the show. When judges would talk about the birds, members would be able to see why one bird lost and another won. Bird care sheets were handed out to the interested public.

It has always been my opinion that if someone raises canaries; show a bird in that you raised not one that someone else did. This was one reason for the breed by exhibitor awards that are so prevalent at the shows. Someone who raises a bird was showing his/her abilities as a breeder. Parrot, finches & softbills on the other hand were not being raised much in captivity. Someone that showed a finch of excellent quality worked hard to get that bird in that condition.

I remember a show at the Aurora Mall where a Paradise Whydah was judged best exotic by Al Mayer. After he was given 1st prize, the stewards took his cage back to the bench and the birds tail feathers fell out. I so remember the public misunderstanding as to why "that" bird won. At the time though he was the best bird. It is surprising how birds reach a peak of perfection and then go out of condition. Anyone who shows birds in multiple shows can run into this problem.

The best reason to show birds is to put up the quality of your bird against another bird. In the end its education; why did my bird loose. What can you do to have your birds display to their best ability. Did you learn anything for the next show?

Another reason is to share your hobby; don't be afraid of the competition. Competition is healthy as long as it does not turn into back stabbing. Years ago I heard of a club in Florida where the people so wanted to win that they would change a high pointed card with one of theirs. Who were they hurting...; is showing birds worth cheating? I certainly hope that this is not the case but I have heard of it happening.

I have met so many people through the birds that I would consider life time friends. You must be willing to share your ideas. Education is best share when there is a strong dialogue. I have spent many hours visiting members that I first met at the show. Most of these members were a great asset to our club and helped to make it a stronger club.

I know there are people who believe that birds should not ever be shown. This is a personal opinion and one that will to be addressed by each exhibitor. Some people believe that birds only belong in the wild and that it is wrong to even cage birds. I certainly believe that we have a obligation to raise birds rather than to just keep a bird like a macaw as a pet. I also think that the public needs to see these birds at shows. To see the quality of birds that can be raised and to learn how to take better care of their own pets through better eduction.

Our club has voted to host the National Cage bird show and we had this once before back in 1983. The members worked hard on that show and the National show members were so impressed by the quality of our show that they stated that the Denver show was one that others would be judged by. This show was a combination of a show and the American Federation of Aviculture putting on a symposium on birds where people gave talks on birds from around the country. Again, birds mixed with education; we do need both.

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