 Standard of perfection for the ideal budgerigar | CONDITION
Perfect show condition can be defined as a bird that is complete in feather. Whether it is Yellow or Buff, the feather should show the bloom of good health and good preparation. Any bird not in perfect show condition should be penalized.
TYPE
Gracefully tapered from nape of neck to tip of tail, with a slightly concave back line, and a rather deep, nicely curved chest.
LENGTH
The ideal length is minimum eight-and-a-half inches (216mm) from the crown of the head to the tip of the tail. However, the budgerigar is essentially a bird of balance and style and this should always be taken into consideration.
WINGS
The ideal length of the wing should be 45% of the ideal length of the budgerigar measured from the butt to the tip of the longest primary flight. The wing must contain seven visual primary flight feathers fully grown and carried just above the cushion of the tail and not crossed.
HEAD
Large, round, wide and symmetrical when viewed from any angle. Curvature of skull to commence at cere, to lift outward and upward continuing over the top through a full backskull to blend into the back line in one graceful sweep.
BEAK
Recessed will into facial feathers.
EYES
To be bold and bright, and positioned well away from the front and top of the head.
SHOULDERS
To be wide when viewed from any angle.
TAIL
To be straight and tight with two primary tail feathers, the ideal length should be 35% of the length of the budgerigar from tip of wings to tip of tail.
POSITION
Steady on perch, looking fearless and natural. The position to be at an angle of 30 degrees from the vertical when measured through the eye to the tip of the tail.
MASK AND SPOTS
Mask to be clear, deep and wide and, where demanded by the Standard, ornamented by six evenly spaced large round throat spots, the outer two being partially covered by the base of the cheek patches. The size of the spots to be in proportion to the rest of the make-up of the bird as shown in the illustrated ideal.
LEGS AND FEET
Legs should be straight and strong. Feet should have two front and two rear toes and claws firmly gripping the perch.
MARKINGS
On cheeks, back of head, neck and wings to be as described in the Colour Standards.
COLOUR
To be as described in the Colour Standards.
STANDARD OF PERFECTION FOR THE IDEAL HEN
The hen shall be equal to the cock in all aspects of perfection except for the head characteristics, where it shall be as wide as the cock when viewed from the front but shall have less frontal rise without losing the smooth rounded line from the cere over the top of the head to blend into the backline when viewed from the side. |
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