Abstract
Fifty or sixty years ago the term "game bird" meant a bird that was hunted for sport or for the table. There were (and still are a few) game bird farms that raised thousands of Ringnecked pheasants to be turned loose on shooting preserves. As time passes things change including the meanings of words. The word "game bird" has enlarged its scope and in present avicultural terminology it usually connotes a number of birds that are definitely not shot for sport, food, or any other reason.
Many aviculturists today who consider themselves game bird breeders have a wide variety of birds that are not true game birds but do not have a simple clear cut category of their own. The birds are not psittacines nor finches nor soft bills nor tropicals. They are usually pheasants, quail, waterfowl, doves, and a few oddballs such as curassows, partridges, peafowl, etc., etc. These birds are loosely categorized as game birds.
In most parts of the United States land has become too expensive for the average person to devote acres and acres to a collection of birds. Most aviculturists have a rather small back yard or modest estate type of operation (an estate in California can be as small as a half-acre which is modest indeed). On these small bird farms space is at a premium and one tends to keep parrots or finches that don't need huge cages. Fortunately for the entire bird fancy, a number of aviculturists have figured out how to combine parrots, finches, softbills, and birds of , our loosely defined game bird group.
The California Game Breeders Association Inc. feels that the "game birds" are a very important segment of aviculture and deserve to be more widely known and kept. The C.G.B.A. agreed to sponsor this specialty issue to present to the Watchbird readers a wide cross section of the various pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, doves, and other less known birds that fall within the interests of a game bird club. This issue is a sort of broad spectrum preface to the future game bird issues that will focus in much more detail on the various types of game birds. For instance, we plan a special issue on pheasants, another on waterfowl, and one on doves and quails. Other game bird clubs will have the opportunity to sponsor these future specialty editions.
Perhaps the prevailing philosophy of the C.G.B.A. and of this special edition is that yes indeed, mixed collections are possible, profitable, and exceedingly enjoyable. Most C.G.B.A. members keep one or more of these game bird species in a collection that includes parrots, finches, canaries, and soft bills. This type of collection requires more care but offers more rewards. Your own collection can be enhanced by the judicious keeping of one or more species of the following birds.
With the above thoughts in mind please proceed through the following articles. If you enjoy the unique beauty of these birds and want specific details regarding how to integrate them into your own collection please send your questions to the Watchbird editor who will refer them to the most appropriate expert for a detailed answer.