Copyright 2007 Cockatiel Foundation, Inc.
Join now to read
the Cockatiel
Chronicle!
click for description
Click on each Chronicle
for full descriptions
ARTICLE
REWARDING GENES ON THE SHOW BENCH
© 1990-2003 LINDA S. RUBIN
Adapted from an original article appearing in the
American Federation of Aviculture,
AFA Watchbird magazine
"All Rights Reserved"
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.
"Providing Resources
to the
Cockatiel Community"

The Cockatiel Foundation,
founded in June 2007,
began out of a growing
need in the avicultural
community to offer its
members programs for pet
owners, breeders and
exhibitors, in addition to
services never before
addressed in the cockatiel  
community.


CF is establishing a
Cockatiel Adoption &
Placement Program to hrlp
in the placement and  
rehoming of cockatiels to
new, permanent
"forever" homes.


CF offers a wealth of
information on color
genetics, mutations, and
breeding research.


CF is addressing the
needs of our Youth
Members in the
CF Youth
& Education Program
developed for tomorrows'
next generation of
cockatiel afficionados.


Please visit our unique
LOST & FOUND Center
to report and reunite birds
with their owners!


Joining the Foundation
When you join the
Foundation as a Member,
you will receive many
benefits, including the
Cockatiel Chronicle and
have access to the
Members' Only Yahoo
Group for chat, PHOTO
CONTEST, Members'
Articles & more
!
Please read about our
Membership  benefits  and
peruse the website.
COME JOIN US!
Let us know you were here!
Cockatiel Foundation, Inc.
c. 2006 Alyssandra Young