What's in the issue

Bowerbirds could be renamed “borrowerbirds”! The males will half-inch nearly anything to decorate their display “house”, from valuable gems to bits of bright plastic. Whatever it takes, they’re mad keen to impress any passing female of the species! Some males spend two-thirds of their waking life tending their “garden”. The amazing life of these birds is our cover story today. Nearer home, we continue our series on canary breeding made simple (but successful!) and also visit the Border scene. We meet a charismatic budgie-breeding couple from N Ireland, take on board expert advice with zebras and Bengalese, learn more about breeding racers… and bid farewell to the recently deceased budgerigar great, Charlie Bowman.