Budgerigars by Barrie Shutt

                                              

Because the British budgerigar was regarded as superior by many of the fanciers from outside the UK, the Buderigar Society produced a standard of perfection against which the ideal budgerigar would be judged. Each variety was given a scale of points that judges were instructed to  apply, which included size,shape,mask,spots,colour and markings. Using these guides and directives, together with the Society's standard of perfection would ensure consistent placing of awards at all exhibitions for  British Budgerigars.

The Standard Of Perfection.

Condition is essential. If a budgerigar is not in condition the judge should penalise it.Perfect condition for the show bench can be defined as complete in feather with all feathers showing the bloom of good health and preperation.The prescence of pin feathers or blood quills should be assessed by the judge with due regard to the affect on the overall balance of the exhibit and should be penalised accordingly.

Type for the ideal budgerigar should mean a graceful taper from the nape of the neck to the tip of it's tail,with an approximately  straight backline and a deep nicely curved chest.

The length of the ideal budgerigar should be eight and a half inches(216mm) from the top of the head to the tip of the tail.It is essential that the bird is of balance and style and it's position should be steady on the perch at an angle of 30 degrees from the vertival,looking natural and fearless.

Wings should be carried just above the cushion of the tail and not crossed or hanging down.The ideal length of the wings is three and three quarter inches (95mm) from the butt to the tip of the longest primary flight.Seven fully grown primary flights feathers must be present in each wing.

The head should be large,wide,round and symmetrical when viewed from any angle.Curvature of the head should commence at the cere and lift outwards and upwards and blend into the backline in one graceful sweep.There should be no evidence of the neck in the accepted sense and the head should appear to sit on the birds shoulder.

The beak must be set well into the face and appear to be tucked into the surrounding feathers.It's eyes must be bold and bright and positioned well away from the front,top and backskull.

It;s tail must be straight and carried inline with the body,both primary tail feathers must be fully grown,the ideal length from the tip of the wings to the tip of the tail should be 73mm.

The mask should be deep and wide and where demanded by the variety standard should be ornamented by six evenly spaced large round throat spots ,the outer two will be partially covered by the base of the cheek patches,the size of the spots must be in relation to the rest of the birds make up.The cheek patches will be pear shaped and the colour will be relevant to  the variety.

Legs should be straight and strong,with two front and two rear toes and claws firmly gripping the perch.Any sign of missing claws should be penalised.

All markings on cheeks,back of head,neck and wings must stand out clearly.The body colour must be a clear and level even shade.

The ideal hen would be identical to the cock in all respects with the exception of the head which would have less frontal rise.

The budgerigar standard of perfection used when judging the birds also should be taken into consideration by the exhibitors,do you expect to win with birds out of condition,missing primary flights,one tail feather,a missing spot or no deportment,well do you?

The Budgerigar Society also drew up a scale of points for each variety,another guide for the judge and exhibitors,each variety can be awarded 35 points maximum for size,shape balance and deportment,they can achieve up to 25 points for size and shape of head,including masks and where applicable spots.The colour of the bird can then be awarded up to 15 points with the exception of inos,double factor spangles,yellows and dark eyed clears which can be awarded 40 points ,this is due to the fact they can win no points for variety markings,depth and clarity of colour are very important. Each variety of budgerigar can be awarded 25 points for the markings.Recessive pieds include points for contrast of colour and variegation and the percent of wing markings.The crests variety markings  also include points for the shape and quality of the crest.Each exhibit can achieve up to 100 points,remember points make prizes.

Birds displaying 2 major faults will not be allowed to win anything other than a class win ( effective from 2009)

Birds displaying 1 major fault will not be able to win a class or a major award ( effective fron 2012 )

In a class where all birds display 1 major fault no first prize will be awarded ( effective from 2012)

Colour dots,Section awards and Certificates of merit are considered Major Awards

The following are faults or defects which should be penalised by the judges according to the judges opinion of the severity of that fault or defect.

Condition is essential.If a bird is not in condition it should be penalised.Perfect show condition is defined as a bird that is complete in feather showing the bloom of good health and good preparation.

Long flighted.No bird showing long flighted characteristics is eligible to take any award.

Scaleyface.Any bird showing any sign of scalyface must be removed from the show bench on the instruction of the judge.Any bird showing signs of sickness must be isolated away from the show hall.

flecking is defined as any dark marks ( flecks or grizzle) on the crown or frontal of the head.The standard for every variety denotes the frontal and crown must be clear and free from all markings and these markings should be severely penalised.From 2009 flecking will be considered a major fault on the show bench.

     

The dominant grey pied cock is not in show condition,spots are missing and his head feather quills are unopened.

Flecking on the head of the opaline sky blue hen must be severely penalised by the judge.

The scalyface hen must be isolated away from the show hall.

Opalescence - This fault can occur in all varieties and appears as a visible evidence of a degree of opaline markings appearing in the neck,cheek,back of the head and wings.The varying degree of opalescence must be penalised accordinglyAny bird showing opalescence will be showing a major fault and from 2012 will not be able to win a class..

Spots - Where applicable in the standard missing,irregular or badly shaped spots should be penalised,the spots should be in proportion with the rest of the make up of the bird.A variety that should have six spots will be classed as having a major fault if two spots are missing.

Primary Flights - birds displaying less or more than seven primary flights should be penalised.Two flights missing will be a major fault,three flights missing will be two major faults from 2012.

Tail Feathers - The budgerigar should have two fully grown tail feathers,if they are not fully grown or are missing this will be considered a major fault.One tail feather only should be penalised by the judge.

 

The area above the cheek patch of this cinnamon light green cock is opalescence and a undesirable feature.

The dominant grey pied is only showing three fully grown primary flights and should be heavily penalised by the judge.

The sky blue cocks spots are not in proportion to his body and they are divided in the centre and must be penalised.

Inherent Faults- dropped tails,nipped necks,poor backline,poor deportment,poor wing carraige,beakiness etc should be severley penalised.

Any Deformity - will be classed as a major fault.

Body Colour - Patchiness and/or dilution of body colour above the level of that described in the colour standards should be penalised.

Spots - The size of the spots should be in proportion to the rest of the make up of the bird,as per the pictorial standard.

Faults And Defects Confined To Specific Varieties.

Any Variety Opaline.- The edges of all wing feathers should be well definded and show the same colour as the body,abscence of body colour on the wings,smudging or thumb marks should all be penalised.Saddle should be the same colour as the body and any dark markings within the area of undulations at the back of the head and neck should also be penalised.Absence or variegation os solid colour in the primary tail feathers should be penalised.

                                                           

The Opaline Grey Displaying Dark Markings On The Saddle.    The Opaline Cinnamon Light Green Displaying Very Bad Wing Markings.

Cinnamon and Greywings in both normal and opaline should be penalised if the body colour is below or in excess of 50% of the normal body colour in depth and intensity.

Lutino and Albino should be penalised severely if the showing pale violet colour in the cheek patches or cinnamon brown spots or markings .Lutinos must not show any green suffusion and there should be no blue or grey suffusion showing on the Albinos.

  

Both the Albino and Lutino are showing Blue or Green suffusion in their body colour.

Crested - an incomplete or damaged crest should be penalised.

Spangle - any completely black feathers on the wings,incomplete or absent throat spots should be penalised severely.

Double Factor Spangle - any black or grizzled ticking,anywhere on the bird or green,blue or grey suffusion should be penalised.

Dominant Pied - an all clear or all white body colour,an unbroken body colour,all clear yellow or white wings,spillage of mask colour around the neck and back of the head and the absence of one or more spots should be penalised.

Clearflight - the abscence of the head patch,broken body colour and/or the pressence of dark primary wing or tail feathers should be penalised.

Odd Eyed Pieds - These must be exhibited in the dominant pied class and penalised accordingly.

Clearwings - (Normal yellow wings and whitewings)The following deviations from the standard should be penalised;dilution of the body colour,pale violet,pale blue or pale grey cheek patches;abscence of blue or grey colour in the primary tail feathers;any markings on the wings according to the depth of such markings;opalescence on back of head,neck or wings.Note - All opaline,cinnamon and opaline cinnamon yellowwings and whitewings must be shown in the any other colour class.

Darkeyed clears -yellow or white - Any odd green or or blue feathers or suffusion in the body,or any black or grizzled ticking or suffusion in the wings should be penalised.

 

                  This Page Is Still Under Construction.                                           

I will dedicate this page to faults that come under the budgerigar standard as inherent faults.These are faults that regardless of the quality of the birds head,the fantastic  width or the super frontal rise i would say no thanks .You may buy a bird that breeds these faults because they inherited them,ask to see the sales birds parents before spending money.These faults are difficult to breed out of your stud so why buy them.

  

  

A badly dropped tail.                   A serious case of dropped wings .   

Hollow back.

THIS PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION