We may be in the depths of winter, but for some birds the nesting season can’t start soon enough. This week we meet some of the recent eager breeders, which include all manner of foreign species such as our cover bird, the fabulous Cuban trogon. Fingers crossed, by the time you read this, there could be some very exotic eggs or even chicks in aviaries around the UK. And in the zebra finch world, champion breeder Dave Brown explains why it’s so handy to have some feeder pairs lined up – precisely so that you can allow your main pairs to breed early if they are fully fit. There’s lots for the canary fan, with reports on the Fife, Border and Yorkshire fancies. And we have a special focus on reviews: a fascinating report on a seminal book about garden feeding, and a personal appreciation of some of the fancy’s most valued suppliers and their products. Plus plus plus… all the regulars and a feelgood report on the great birdkeeping Christmas raffle.

We may be in the depths of winter, but for some birds the nesting season can’t start soon enough. This week we meet some of the recent eager breeders, which include all manner of foreign species such as our cover bird, the fabulous Cuban trogon. Fingers crossed, by the time you read this, there could be some very exotic eggs or even chicks ....