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Our fourth guest, Laura Deitz, lives in Central Pennsylvania (USA) and is a breeder, a Certified Avian Specialist and SPBE (The Society of Parrot Breeders and Exhibitors) Panel Judge.
Laura proposed us an article about the way Lineos are judged in US exhibitions and contests. It's fascinating. Enjoy !
I got my first parrot, a mitred conure, at the age of eighteen, 25 years ago.
Until then, I only had budgies and a cockatiel.
The first birds I bred were Edwards lorikeets in 1988. I went on to breed pionus, budgies, gouldian finches, lorikeets, kakarikis, African ringnecks, conures, a true love (brown throats, green cheeks, duskies) and keep hoping for my pair of slender bills to go to nest.
Have also bred Umbrellas, timnehs, and worked on a macaw "farm" in the Florida Keys in the early 1990's.
Along with the conures, I still breed senegals, meyers, have red bellies, parrotlets (green rumps, pacific, spectacles) and, last but not least, lineolated parakeets.
My pets consist of an elderly blue & gold macaw, Kimo, that walks around the house after me like a dog. A scarlet macaw, Sylvester, two senegals (my favorites) Rex and Corky and 2 timnehs Sterling and Silver.
I cannot understand bird breeders who don't have a pet or two!
My husband Tim and I work full time jobs, share in the bird "work" and are the only husband and wife team of SPBE judges. Tim is also the National Coordinator for SPBE memberships.
We are also Certified Avian Specialists.
My stepson Derek, 11, also helps with the birds and amazes me with what he has learned over the years.
This original text is protected by copyright. Please don't copy or reproduce it.
I have been keeping birds since childhood, breeding since 1988 and got my first lineolated parakeets in 1992.
I was meeting a friend at a "jobber" (bird wholesaler) near Philadelphia to deliver some lories and when I went inside, there they were. I promptly spent all my lory money on 3 "pairs" of lineolateds.
They did in fact turn out to be pairs but my best friend talked me out of one pair.
While in quarantine (my bedroom at the time) they began their mating rituals and I set them up. By July of that year I had 7 babies from the two pairs. I banded them with lovebird size bands (3/16) from SPBE or The Society of Parrot Breeders and Exhibitors.
SPBE is the premier show club in the US. I was already a bird show enthusiast and had done well with my lories and pionus but I will never forget that fall's show season.
At the first show in September they clung to the front of their cage vying for attention so they did not place and when the judge (Conrad Meinert) approached me after the show to ask if I bred them and if I had any for sale, I KNEW I was on to something.
At the second show, the judge seemed stunned. He was so excited, couldn't say enough about them and put Pickles (one of my males) in 1st place and 2 others in the top 10.
The show season continued like that with Pickles accumulating 30 points in his first year (before he was 6 months old) and his siblings charming all the judges.
Because of those lineolateds, that year I was a Champion Exhibitor. I applied for a breeding award from SPBE as they had considered lineolateds a rare and difficult to breed species. I received that in 1993 for those 1992 babies.
Pickles made Champion and Grand Champion in 1995 (the first lineolated to do this). He and three of his siblings are still alive and well here at Iron Bridge Aviaries, but retired from the show circuit.
Conformation |
Includes size, proportion and substance. It is considered the single most important factor when judging. |
40 points |
Condition |
Overall health, appearance and grooming of the bird. |
30 points |
Deportment |
Bird's demeaner and behavior while being judged. |
15 points |
Color |
Self explanatory BUT a rare mutation will not get any more points than a normal green. |
10 points |
Presentation |
Refers to the show cage. |
5 points |
When judging a lineolated, judges look for a full bodied bird (not overweight) that is V shaped, similar to a body builder.
The bird should have a full feathered forehead and should not cross its wings.
It is expected to sit horizontal. In 1996 Conrad Meinert, Chairman of Panel Judges for SPBE, had the standard of deportment modified for lineolateds to allow them to sit horizontal so judges unfamiliar with them would not take off points.
They should be in impeccable condition, as if they were carved out of butter.
No gaps or holes in the feathering, bright eyes and clear nostrils.
It is fine for the bird to have feather tufts at its vent.
Some of the mutations are considered soft feathered birds and a judge will take that into consideration.
Tail fanning and talking is allowed as it happens quite often.
The bird should be show box trained and willing to hop from perch to perch to show its best.
Lineolateds do best in a lovebird size show box but SPBE will allow any cage as long as it is appropriate size for the bird.
Lineolateds do consistently well at shows and I would like to believe I (and Pickles) was the one who started the trend!
Six of the top 10 birds on this show.
The top bench.
Notice that the boxes on the back benches have no awards.
This lineolated is in 1st place.
The lineolated is in first. The senegal parrot, also owned by Laura
& Tim Deitz, is in 2nd hiding behind his rosettes.
He is probably eating as that is where his food dish is located in his showbox.
It is very important to always have food and water in with showbirds.
Special treats work well (as long as it isn't something too messy)!
The senegal (Rex).
This bird took 1st the previous day at the Great
American Bird Show and won $1000
in the Best In Show where the top bird
in each division compete against each other.
The other divisions are
Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Finches/Softbills and Canaries.
The lineolated eyeing all his winnings!
It usually costs $2.00 to
enter a bird in a show.
Look what you may be lucky enough to win!
The blue rosettes are for 1st place in section and sub-division.
The purple rosette with the blue accents is for 1st in division (or 1st place).
More details for the perfectionists : this picture is from day one (Oct.6th). You may see a first place sticker on the tag but that is for
class, then a blue rosette for section and a bigger blue rosette for
sub-division BUT that purple rosette with red accent is a second place
division (final ribbon) for top bench. Simple, isn't it ?...
Notice the number on that tag is 2687 and on the others it is 2598. At any given show, you will find me helping people fill out their show tags (most don't know where to classify their birds). Lineos go under New World sub-division generally or they can be shown in Captive bred or
Novice depending on how advanced the show person is. We show in both captive bred and New world since they are both advanced sub-divisions and we breed our own lineos and other show
birds.
The senegal Rex won 2nd place to the lineolated and appears to be "pouting".
The green rosette is a special ribbon they gave 1st, 2nd and 3rd place at this particular show.
Most shows have
some special ribbons besides the usual SPBE rosettes.
Victory for the lineolated !
Showing is so much fun and winning is even more exciting.
We have made so many
wonderful friends over the years, every show season is like a family reunion!
Is there a downside ? Yes ! Now Tim and I must figure out how to get all these awards home in our overpacked vehicle!
Happy showing and hopefully winning !
Laura Deitz
Panel judge-SPBE (since 1999)
Certified Avian Specialist
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