y interest in the hobby is as a foreign bird breeder. Success is defined by breeding a species in
captivity and, ultimately, by establishing a self-sustaining population. This branch of the hobby is subject to the two major threats. Firstly, since 2006, the ban on importation to the EU means that no new species are available and many others are at risk since self- sustaining captive populations have not been established. Secondly, at the opposite end of the spectrum, established species are subject to domestication. This happens when mutations begin to appear, followed by “show standards” at variance with the wild bird. These start with colour