When it is Josephine Parnham's much-loved silver pencilled Wyandotte rooster - called Turkey.
"He looked like one when he was a baby," Josephine (14) explained yesterday.
Turkey is one of more than 1000 entries in the Oamaru Poultry, Pigeon and Canary Society's 124th annual show at the Drill Hall this week.
The show, which is open to the public this afternoon and from 9am-4pm tomorrow, has attracted entries from throughout the South Island.
Josephine has been a self-confessed "bird nut" since she was small and has more than 20 birds, including Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Silkies, Araucanas (famed for laying green eggs) and frillback pigeons.
It was her first time exhibiting at a show and she was unsure of her chances.
She was looking forward to stewarding for the heavy breed poultry judge today and learning more about birds.
She spent a lot of time with her birds and said Turkey (her favourite) was particularly quiet.
"He just decided he was going to be friendly one day."
Show preparations included washing the Silkies, one of which she received as a day-old chick.
Josephine is keen to extend her breeds to include game fowl, which she thought were "cute".
Planning is already under way for next year's show to mark the society's 125th anniversary.
