Championing the light green

CLIVE WAKEMAN explains why, for him, the light green is a top bird to have in the breeding room and on the show bench

- CLIVE WAKEMAN

GREEN budgerigars are fascinating. This is the original colour that a vast array of colours and varieties have originated from. The wild-type budgerigar – a native bird of Australia – was completely green and the first colour variation was yellow.

Although this is very rare in the wilds of Australia, the yellow caused much interest with breeders back in England, especially when new colours and varieties started to pop up in breeding establishments across the country. However, the green itself was being bred in three different shades: light green, dark green and olive green. Later a fourth colour, grey-green, came along. The light green was the original colour that paved the way for the birds that we see and enjoy today and, despite all the other options available, it has always had a following over the years.