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Introduction
Why are some exhibitors more successful on the show bench
while others are not? Are they luckier than most or do these
breeders know special techniques or elusive secrets for
continually breeding the top birds in show? Over the past
several decades, prizewinning cockatiel breeders have
learned what other successful livestock breeders have come
to know. If they wish their birds and future offspring to win at
shows they must follow a prescribed breeding plan.
Champions are not made by accident or wishful thinking. A
commitment to a sound breeding program is essential for
continued success.

Selective Breeding
True, there are those who may have an occasional win with a
magnificently groomed cockatiel, but what about the offspring,
why would they fall short under the same panel judges? After
all, these chicks were reared from an award winner. The
reason may be a simple matter of breeding technique and the
establishment of a family line.

As breeders of exhibition stock, livestock breeding offers us
two choices. Do we wish to produce offspring that retain the
superior traits of their parents, or would we gamble with
unrelated birds and continually take a chance on a game of
genetic roulette?

There is only one way to guarantee the uniform resemblance
of individuals and that is through selective breeding, which
includes properly used linebreeding techniques. Agreeably,
the practice of inbreeding, used haphazardly, has created
disasters and should be discouraged for use by the novice
and those not well versed in these techniques. However, there
is a clear difference between careless, or uninformed,
inbreeding attempts and the techniques of responsible
linebreeding, and every professional aviculturist and hobbyist
should make the effort to learn how they differ.

Linebreeding
Briefly defined, linebreeding is the planned breeding of pre-
selected related birds, which excel in identifiable superior traits
with the intent of breeding, or “setting,” these chosen traits into
a family line. The aviculturist skillfully applies methods of
linebreeding in order to form an exhibition stud composed of
related family members. These family members retain their
excellent qualities and show uniform family characteristics that
are recognizable from generation to generation. However, just
as crucial to this plan is the continuous culling procedure
(selling off) of any bird exhibiting or inheriting an undesirable
trait, or fault, which will adversely affect the line and its future
progeny.

Systematic Breeding
It is generally held that it is necessary to breed as wide or
divergent a gene pool as possible in most species of parrots,
because many parrots are more difficult to rear in large
numbers in captivity. It is therefore necessary to breed less
similar, unrelated individuals in most parrots, finches and
softbills, or any threatened or endangered species, because
the goal is to assemble as large a gene pool as possible to
stock all a species available genes in its future bank of
survival. However, divergence of genes in cockatiels is not as
crucial, because at this point in time we raise such vast
numbers of cockatiels that we have a very large gene pool of
unrelated stock.

In fact, when utilizing the rules of genetics for cockatiels on the
show bench, divergence of type may not even be appropriate.
This is why it is generally advised not to purchase birds from
too many sources for foundation stock - no matter how
excellent such birds may appear. By using too many birds that
are unrelated to one another, only dissimilar birds will be
produced. Eventually, by continually breeding unrelated stock,
or outcrossing, the original qualities you are trying to set into
your exhibition line will be lost.

Yet, producing a divergence of type or unrelated birds may, in
fact, be useful when first breeding in order to produce a few
exceptional individuals on which to base a family line. Strict
culling will become necessary to guarantee that such traits
remain dominant in their inheritance. Another more commonly
used option is to simply purchase superior breeding stock from
a linebred stud to use as foundation stock from which to begin.

The production of such excellent traits from generation to
generation, therefore, will only be accomplished through
linebreeding techniques (i.e., the systematic breeding of
relatives). Rather than divergence of type, here, the object is
to produce uniformity within the stud. And, it is here, through
the planned, systematic breeding of relatives that show
winners are consistently produced, decade after decade.

Record Keeping
Record keeping is critical to successful linebreeding
techniques and it is here that the breeder’s own studbook
comes in handy. The qualities and faults of individual birds
may be written down in the records and assessed. A
formidable wealth of information, custom-tailored to one’s own
aviary and future breeding program is there for the taking!
Cockatiels should be banded with aluminum, seamless, closed
bands for accurate identification. Meticulous record keeping,
review and assessment of your own studbook will provide you
with the information you need to know for future breeding
seasons.

Setting Dominant Traits
Dominant traits are qualities, or faults, that are inherited by the
young from their parents and identifiably passed down in each
generation. For example, desirable exhibition cockatiels have
such notable characteristics as: large size, good substance
(width and breadth), equal proportions, clean masks, dense
crests, large round cheek patches, clear white wing bars and
other attributes that may all be recorded. Examples of
inherited faults might include: dropped wing carriage or
crossed wings (sometimes this is behavioral), a bald spot
behind the crest, an undershot beak, or a poorly colored or
scantily patterned mutation, etc.

Any of these traits may be assessed when preparing to pair up
birds for the coming breeding season. Birds should be caught
up, individually caged and examined. If both birds in a pair
show the same fault, the union should be changed. To quote a
well-known husbandry principle: “Never breed two birds
together that share the same fault no matter how good their
other qualities may be!” If you proceed to breed two birds
together with the same faults, you will set the faults as
inherited, dominant traits in future offspring.

Ideally, pairs should be placed side-by-side to see how well
they match. Some questions to consider may include the
following: do any of the pairs share major faults (e.g., do both
partners carry a bald spot?); do the pairs compliment one
another for a particular quality (e.g., does the cock excel in
crest length, while the hen carries superior crest density?),
and so on. Other traits to consider beyond outward physical
appearance include health, fertility, successful incubation and
parenting skills, among others.

Another legitimate concern is whether to breed exhibition stock
with superior traits if they won’t reproduce or feed their own
offspring. Parenting abilities can be influenced by genetics and
it may be helpful to our cockatiels’ biological evolution to allow
them to raise at least one clutch of babies on their own
through weaning. Otherwise, if chicks are continuously
removed for handfeeding and adults are not allowed to
develop and exercise their formerly innate parenting skills, we
may end up breeding fertility and nurturing skills right out of a
line.

If pairs are compatible, they may be given a nest box and the
opportunity to raise young. It is advisable to study show
standards so that you are familiar with the ideal cockatiel and
understand your breeding goals. Attend as many bird shows
as possible and sit up front or volunteer to be a steward or
ribbon tier. There is much to be learned from the show judge’s
comments during a show. Visit top breeders and study their
birds until you form some idea of the qualities you are looking
for or what you wish to emulate in your own stud.

Once you have your initial stock ready for the season, write
down a breeding plan. For example, “to produce a standard
crest with the qualities of fullness, density and graduating
filaments, with an ideal length of 2.75 inches in the young
produced” may be set as the objective for the 2004 breeding
season. Although the ideal crest actually measures 3 inches in
length, it may be unrealistic to expect to reach this goal in only
one season. Be reasonable in your objectives and progress so
you do not set your plan up for failure. And, keep in mind there
is likely to be several other objectives sought in the overall
breeding plan with different goals for different lines of birds.

In the future, you may wish to produce a line with an
outstanding crest (Line A), that you may want to combine with
another line for exceptional size (Line B), to form a strain that
carries both large size and an outstanding crest (Line AB).
Other lines and their traits, once set, can also be brought in to
help form the future stud.

Objectives and Feedback
The beauty of writing down your objectives is that they can be
measured and assessed at the end of the breeding season.
This information is important for positive feedback and review,
noticing where improvements are needed. Once the young are
fully weaned, they may be separated into a nursery or juvenile
flight. Unless they are to be sold as pets or breeding stock, it is
advisable to keep the young for at least a year, even two, as
final growth will not be known until they are fully mature. Some
young cockatiels can really blossom in their second year and
surprise an exhibitor.

Culling must be done ruthlessly if progress is to be made in
your breeding program. “Keep the best, cull the rest,” is
another livestock principle well heeded. If there are birds that
do not measure up to your standards, sell them as young pets
so they will go to good homes. We are responsible for the
birds we bring into the world so we owe them a good home if
we cannot provide one for them ourselves.

Meticulous record keeping is essential to keeping track of
dominant and recessive traits and will prevent wasted time and
seasons of haphazard breeding efforts. Breeding records
should include quality attributes, family characteristics,
recessive faults, breeding histories, medical histories and any
other information that may be pertinent to future progress on
the show bench.

Rewarding Genes
A bird that is judged against a national show standard that
consistently receives top bench placement by numerous panel
judges is rewarded beyond the material ribbons, trophies and
championship titles it may receive. In essence, its very genes
are being rewarded on the show bench. And, like all good,
positive reinforcement, it will be these winning individuals that
the exhibitor will set up to breed the following season in hope
of passing on the same exceptional qualities to future
generations.

By breeding back to winning birds and establishing lines based
on specific attributes, exhibition studs will eventually be formed
where future offspring will pass on these desirable traits. It is
these individuals then, and the fixed traits passed down to
their progeny, which should continue to do well on the show
bench in years to come.

Even if a hobbyist chooses not to exhibit their birds, it is
possible they may end up in another hobbyist’s aviary to
become breeding stock, or even foundation stock. It should
give the non-exhibitor some satisfaction to know that the birds
they produce are of good enough quality to show successfully,
if one wishes to do so. Whether a bird is intended for the show
bench, the aviary, or simply as a beloved pet, there is no
reason not to attempt to produce the very best at every
opportunity.

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About the Author
Linda S. Rubin is an aviculturist, lecturer and avian educator of 30
years, with an international byline in avicultural magazines around the
world and author of several books at www.CockatielsPlusParrot s.com.
She is the cockatiel expert columnist for Bird Talk’s website,
BirdChannel.com, she serves on the board of directors of the American
Federation of Aviculture, Inc. and is the founding president of the
Cockatiel Foundation, Inc. Linda is a certified panel judge for the
Cockatiel Foundation, and the Society of Parrot Breeders & Exhibitors,
judging shows throughout the US, Puerto Rico and Canada since 1984.

REWARDING GENES
ON THE SHOW BENCH

COPYRIGHT © 1990-2003 LINDA S. RUBIN
Adapted from original article appearing in 1990 issue of
AFA WATCHBIRD Magazine
"All Rights Reserved"