If you’ve been chirping to your friends about taking up bird breeding as a hobby, why not pop into the the Supreme Zebra and Bengalese Finch show this weekend?

Entrance is free and gives you access to view some of the top birds in the country.

The show will be hosted by the Transvaal Zebra Finch Society (TZFS) at Birds and Pets for Africa, High Road, Pomona, 09:00 to 14:00 on September 5.

The TZFS was established 35 years ago with the aim of promoting the breeding and exhibition of show-standard Zebra and Bengalese finches.

President of the TZFS Stuart Shillinglaw explained that Zebra finches are native to Australia and are an easy breeder in captivity, which has resulted in large numbers being bred in captivity.

“It is now a totally domesticated breed and many mutations have occurred over the years. There are about 100 mutations worldwide.

“Breeders in the UK have developed show quality over many years. The original breeding stock in South Africa were imported from England.

“We follow the UK standard for show birds. Birds are judged for their shape, size and colouring.”

Show stock Zebra and Bengalese finches are relatively inexpensive to purchase, making them an ideal choice for beginners in the hobby of bird keeping and breeding.

The Zebra Finch Society has regular meetings at members’ homes, which are combined with mini shows.

At these meetings the judges discuss the finer points of the show standards.

The society also hosts two large annual shows at various venues.

“We encourage anyone interested in breeding birds as a hobby to visit the show on Saturday,” Stuart said.

For more information about the TZFS and its activities, email stuartshillinglaw53@gmail.com

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