Feathered heaven for bird lovers

Jaydean Washington, of Waldronville, shows his Pekin bantam cuckoo pullet which recently won Best...
Jaydean Washington, of Waldronville, shows his Pekin bantam cuckoo pullet which recently won Best of Breed at the Milton Poultry Show. PHOTOS: SIMON HENDERSON
Forrester Park will once again be a lively hub for bird enthusiasts as the Dunedin Poultry, Pigeon, and Cage Bird Club’s Annual Show takes flight on the weekend of May 25 and 26.

Show manager Jaydean Washington is looking forward to a busy weekend.

"We’ve got poultry, not only the bantams but we have got the big poultry and we have got the caged birds and we’ve got the pigeons."

His growing judging duties have been keeping him busy most weekends.

This weekend will see him judging the fancy bantam section in Rangiora.

In a month’s time he will be in Ashburton judging fancy bantams again and after that he will judge zebra finches in Dunedin.

He is also a keen breeder, and he says the two roles complement each other.

"I am starting to breed a lot nicer birds."

He is also gaining a better understanding of how different elements come together, such as breeding pairs, colour, and shape.

"There are multiple factors actually making up the perfect show bird."

Mr Washington’s dedication over the last few years has begun to draw new members to the hobby.

An English lizard canary, which is the first breed mutation from wild canaries, will be one of...
An English lizard canary, which is the first breed mutation from wild canaries, will be one of many birds on sale at the show.
He believes his efforts have helped inspire younger members.

"We are very lucky in Dunedin. There’s a lot of young ones starting to come through, actually."

Mr Washington believes that this hobby is mentally beneficial, more so than sitting indoors watching television.

He is a "big believer" that being involved with animals from a young age creates a more nurturing outlook.

"I think actually having the animals helps with building that compassion and being able to care for others."

This year’s show is set to feature 714 birds, and a new initiative aims to highlight heritage breeds.

"We are having actually a rare breeds feature show, which is encouraging [breeding] some birds that maybe a hundred years ago they were really popular but have now in recent times dwindled down."

The show will also offer up to 200 birds for sale such as poultry, budgies, canaries, bantams, and potentially ducks.

"So it is going to be quite a big weekend."

On Saturday, May 25, the doors will open at 11.30 am and the show will run until 5pm. Sunday’s event will start at 10am and conclude at 2pm.

simon.henderson@thestar.co.nz