Dear Parrots magazine,
More younger female bird keepers?
I have been attending bird shows and sales since 1994 and over the years the age of those attending seems to have got steadily older. But at the Parrot Society’s Summer Show at Stafford, there seemed to be a significant increase in the numbers of younger bird keepers. Couples in their 30s and 40s were in abundance and even younger people with babies in pushchairs. The presence of younger women may be significant. In America the canary/budgie part of the hobby has tended to be male dominated, as it is here in the UK, but the exotic finches and the full range of parrots and parakeets have largely been kept by women. Are we heading for a similar growth in female participation in bird keeping?
On our stand, we were also visited by two younger ladies from the Walsall CBS where there has been a hand over from the older generation to a younger committee. Younger, more energetic people are the future of the hobby, people who can embrace the Internet whilst keeping traditional shows and clubs going into the future.
I think this all bodes well for the future of bird keeping in the UK but it may lead to a change in the balance of birds kept, towards parrots and finches and away from canaries. Unless of course, the canary breeders open their hearts to more ladies!
Malcolm Green - The Birdcare Company