Softbills: to their fans, the most cussed, challenging, spectacular and addictive birds of the lot. This week we review the breeding season reported by some of the fanciers who keep species the rest of us can only dream about: shrikes, niltavas, hornbills, liocichlas and other mouth-watering stars. These birds are tough to breed anyway, still more so given the hot dry summer we’ve had, so full kudos to those with successes to report. Elsewhere we catch up with frill, Scots and Border canary breeders, talk in-depth tactics on budgerigars, and nip back to the 1930s for a spot of nostalgia – plus news and the regular club roundup.

Softbills: to their fans, the most cussed, challenging, spectacular and addictive birds of the lot. This week we review the breeding season reported by some of the fanciers who keep species the rest of us can only dream about: shrikes, niltavas, hornbills, liocichlas and other mouth-watering stars. These birds are tough to breed anyway, still mo....