investigations in the past. Whenever you deviate significantly from the original size and shape of a wild animal, constant monitoring of the effects of these changes needs to be carried out. This is clearly required by the various constitutions of budgerigar clubs in Australia. Without a shadow of a doubt, our constitutions and basic ethics require an immediate investigation and discussion of the various welfare issues involved. Modern show budgies are about 50% longer than wild budgies, twice as wide and more than twice as heavy. The beak is still about the same size as it is in wild budgies, which makes it proportionally about half the size (relative to body mass). Feather bulk, measured as average increase in the area of feathers, has increased by a factor of about three times. Some of the major problems encountered with modern exhibition budgerigars are:


1. Common infected eyes caused by the irritation of feathers growing into the eyes. *#


2. Common feather viruses caused by extreme feather bulk. *


3. Common wing feather cysts caused by feather bulk which exacerbates feather viruses. *+


4. Short life spans. * 5. Reluctance or inability to fly due to Directional Feathers obscuring forward vision. *


6. Reluctance or inability to fly due to poor wing feathering. *


7. Poor fertility due to general poor health of the birds. *


8. Constant disease issues due to lack of vigour.


* Apart from veterinary support for these points, it must be pointed out that these issues almost never occur with my mini budgies bred in the same birdroom, fed the same food and


08 30


BIRD SCENE


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