By Eric Peake

The Budgerigar Society, to give guidance to their exhibitors, issued a pictorial ideal, which was used until the late 1970’s.  During the late 1970’s birds with superior head quality were quickly taking over the pictorial ideal.  Consequently, a request was made to update the standard.  In 1980-81 I had the pleasure to paint a new standard for the exhibition budgerigar, which is still used to today.  By illustrating a side and ¾ view the exhibitor was given a more accurate standard to measure by.

A simple exercise to compare one’s birds to the ideal can be carried out by any fancier.  Simply cut out in the ideal image as printed in the ‘Budgerigar Society Handbook’.  Place this cut out in the show cage and then compare the ideal with the bird in question. One can then clearly see the 8 ½” ideal bird is a large bird and in good proportion.

The Head

Most winning birds should display good head qualities.  The skull structure is one of the most difficult areas to breed in the exhibition budgerigar.  If we look at the width of face on the bird, it has to be in proportion to the height above the cere.  Achieving a full back skull is the most challenging task.  Too many birds show a lack of back skull, which is an undesirable feature on the exhibition bird.  The bird must have a deep mask in which to carry the large spots.  A shallow mask is a major fault and must be avoided at all costs.

Wings

The wings need to sit neatly on the base of the tail.  Crossed wings or dropped wings are considered a serious fault. Both are hereditary and birds possessing these faults should be eliminated from exhibition breeding stock.

The normal wing markings have been a main feature of the exhibition budgerigar; a normal light green split for Opaline can sometimes show green on the shell markings, which should be yellow.  Opalescent marks can also appear on the shoulders and wing butts of a normal bird.

In the Opaline we have always tried to achieve a clear saddle.  Along with a clear head.  In recent years, dirty back Opalines have appeared and numerous forms of flecking on the head.  This is the over emphasis of melanin coming from the normal bird, especially in the dark factor variety.

Tail

There are 2 main faults in the tail.  A dropping or almost vertical tail is considered a serious fault.  The correct angle of the tail should be 60 degrees through the eye. A tail too long, the other fault, is usually associated with long flighted birds where the distance from the vent top the tip of the tail usually exceeds the body length.

Style and Stance

To achieve success on the show bench a winning bird must have style and stance. Style is usually inherited.  Stance, on the other hand, is usually achieved by training the bird from an early age.

In conclusion, the ideal exhibition budgerigar could possible be altered in pictorial form by illustrating a larger head and more feather detail.  This would have to be done in a somewhat loose manner as the previous pictorial ideals have always been sharpe and concise with a clean outline.  Considering there are only a few hundred of the million and a half exhibition budgerigars breed each year meeting the standard; perhaps it would be inappropriate to change the ideal at his time.