The Death of a Variety

John Evans

The Judges' Panel and Colour Standards committee of the Budgerigar Society recently proposed the incorporation of Opaline Clearwings and Cinnamon Clearwings together with normal Clearwings into a new class entitled "Any Variety Clearwing". If this is approved, I envisage that it will ultimately lead to the loss of one of the most attractive varieties in the fancy and I see this loss following the pattern outlined below:

1. In the normal course of things, newcomers and those trying to improve the quality of their birds will buy from those exhibitors who are successful on the show bench.
2. It is inevitable that, in an "Any Variety Clearwing" class, those Clearwings bred from Opalines and Cinnamons will have an advantage due to their size and conformation.
3. Therefore the successful exhibitor will be breeding and selling Opaline and/or Cinnamon Clearwings and splits.
4. Within a relatively short time it will be extremely difficult to obtain good quality "pure" Clearwings as most of those that appear to be so will be split for Opaline or Cinnamon or both.
5. Body colour and contrast will be lost due to the use of Cinnamon.
6. Dirty wings and wings suffused with green and blue will be produced due to the use of Opaline.
7. In an attempt to solve the problems outlined in 5. and 6. above, the paler but cleaner Cinnamon Clearwing will be paired to the dirtier, but perhaps bigger, Opaline Clearwing producing an Opaline Cinnamon Clearwing which will probably look like a poorly coloured Dilute.
8. As more and more of these composite varieties are exhibited, and as they will be extremely difficult to judge against the current standard, so the need for a revised standard will be perceived. This standard will, at the very least:
   • reduce the emphasis on the colour and the freedom of markings of the wings to cope with the discolouring effects of the opaline factor
   • reduce the requirement of the depth of body colour to 50% to allow for the diluting effect of the cinnamon factor.
9. As the problems of judging will not be solved by the impossible task of trying to apply an all-embracing standard to an all-embracing composite of varieties, so the class will be seen to be unnecessary.

R. I. P. Clearwings

Original text Copyright © 1999 John Evans

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