Ian's perfect canaries host international guest

“I got a call last month and it was Stephen Edmund, chairman of the Yorkshire Canary Club in the UK,” Mr Mesley said.

“He wanted to take a look at my birds as he had heard they were some of the best.”

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Mr Edmund is touring Australia in his role to meet breeders, offer advice and collect information on Australian breeding to take beck to the UK.

“He told me my canaries are the closest to the breed standard that he has ever seen,” Mr Mesley said with a smile.”

Similarly to dog shows, canaries are judged based on how similar they are to what is considered the perfect example - or breed standard.

“I started breeding canaries after my wife and I moved in with her mother, that was back in 1963.

“My mother in-law had some canaries and asked me to take them to a show.”

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Mr Mesley's father had built him an aviary when he was young and he already had a keen interest in birds, so he took them along.

“I knew some of the different canary breeds, but I really liked the Yorkshire canary - I think because it reminded me of the Australian black falcon.

“So that is the bird I started to breed.”

The Yorkshire canary was introduced to NSW around 1927, and its bright orange feathers quickly made it a favourite among local bird-breeders.

As a non-native bird imports were banned in the 1960s, however, because of the dedication of Australian breeders there are plenty across the country.

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Mr Mesley said that even though looking after his birds was a labour of love, it was nice to hear they might be some of the best examples of Yorkshire canaries in the world.

“It was exciting to have Stephen here and I was pleased with what he thought of my canaries,” Mr Mesley said.

“They're a beautiful bird and one of the most colorful canaries you will ever see.”