Feathers make the bird at Bloemfontein show

The South African National Budgerigar Show is well underway at Sandstone Sleeper Estate in Bloemfontein, with over 1 000 birds expected to be adjudicated today. The Budgerigar Society of South Africa's chairperson, Albert Olivier, says the three-day event, launched yesterday evening, is being held in the Free State capital for the fifth consecutive year. One-thousand-and-five show budgies will be competing for the coveted prize of top bird. This year, the judging panel is made up of five international judges from the World Budgie Organisation, who are in the country for their conference. After judging is done, a gala dinner will be hosted, where all the prizes will be handed out to budgie owners. Olivier says the public is invited to see the all the show budgies, which are regional winners, at no cost after judging is done at 2pm.