Chatter Magazine Winter 2026

For those of us in South Australia, Mother Nature has certainly reminded us of what time of the year it is. The colder months are well and truly here, making it the perfect time to settle in, enjoy a warm cuppa, and catch up on another packed edition of Chatter.

In this issue, we reflect on South Australia’s fantastic success at the recent National Titles in Southport, celebrating the achievements, stories and people who continue to make our fancy so special.

Our Fancier in Focus celebrates the remarkable legacy of Sheppard & Flanagan Budgerigars, a partnership built on patience, friendship, discipline and an enduring love of the exhibition budgerigar. Through Col Flanagan’s reflections, we explore the long road behind one of Australia’s most respected studs, from the early years of learning and linebreeding through to 38 National wins, decades of service to the fancy, and a reputation for producing birds with balance, shoulder, presence and consistency.

In Exhibiting Corner, Nigel Tonkin offers a thoughtful reflection on judging, accountability, and the importance of remaining true to The Standard Description of Perfection. Drawing from his own judging journey, Nigel revisits the key features that define the exhibition budgerigar, from condition, type, length, wings and tail through to head quality, mask, markings and colour. His message is a timely reminder that while positive judging is important, it must never come at the expense of overlooking major faults or judging birds by isolated features alone.

Genetics Corner features Part 1 of John Mulley’s detailed exploration of inbreeding and line breeding, explaining how these practices can be used to strengthen desirable exhibition features within a budgerigar stud. John introduces the genetic principles behind related matings, including homozygosity, alleles that are identical by descent, and the coefficient of inbreeding. Importantly, the article reminds breeders that while inbreeding can help reveal and fix desirable traits, it can also expose unwanted faults, making careful selection and ruthless culling essential.

In Novice Corner, we revisit Gordon Lowe’s 1988 Hobart Nationals lecture on stress in budgerigars. It remains a practical and highly relevant reminder of how aviary management, breeding room conditions and show preparation can affect bird health and wellbeing. From flight design and perching space to clean water, nutrition, nest box hygiene and early show-cage training, Gordon’s advice reinforces that thoughtful management is central to producing healthy, confident exhibition birds.

Our Overseas Corner takes us on Ali Bouresli’s unforgettable journey from Kuwait to Australia for the 50th Annual Trill™ Expert ANBC National Titles. With humour, warmth and plenty of personality, Ali shares the story of flight cancellations, customs surprises, his first judging experience at the Logan Shield, bird preparation in Adelaide, and the nerves of delivering his lecture to a packed room. More than a travel diary, it is a heartfelt reflection on the generosity of the Australian budgerigar community and the friendships created through a shared love of birds.

Finally, Pet Corner looks at one of the less glamorous, but very important, parts of caring for budgerigars: understanding their droppings. Because budgies are skilled at hiding illness, changes in their droppings can often be one of the earliest signs that something may not be right. This article explains what is normal, what may simply be diet-related, and which warning signs owners should watch for, including watery droppings, unusual colours, undigested seed, fewer droppings, a dirty vent or strong smell.

We hope you enjoy this Winter edition of Chatter as much as we have enjoyed bringing it together. Thank you, as always, to our contributors, readers and members who continue to support the magazine and the wider budgerigar fancy.

Until next time,

The Chatter Team

Read The Winter Edition Here