BVA Masters 2018 – International Parrot Exhibition in Belgium

This year, for the first time, we visited Belgium, where the annual Agapornis Exhibition was held in the city of Aalst. The event was divided into two main sections: one building hosted the show birds, while another was dedicated to birds for sale. Each parrot was housed individually in an exhibition cage, clearly labeled with all important details — the breeder’s name, mutation type, age, sex (if known), and price. Unfortunately, this well-organized system is still rare in many places, even though it works perfectly.

In the sales area, breeders themselves were not present; instead, the organizers handled all transactions. Purchased birds were either handed over immediately or placed in a separate holding area until the end of the show. Buyers could, for instance, purchase a bird on Saturday morning and have it cared for until Sunday afternoon before departure. Naturally, every bird came with a proper certificate of origin.

The exhibition itself took place in a well-designed, brightly lit hall, where the birds were displayed by species and mutation type. Upon entering, the Rosy-faced Lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis) were the first to catch my eye — magnificent, large birds, and perhaps the most numerous at the show. In mutation breeding, many breeders tend to focus solely on genetics rather than size, yet here I saw several Fischer’s Lovebirds (Agapornis fischeri) that were of standard size while also displaying rare color mutations. There were even Parblue mutations represented across all eye-ringed species — a true rarity in Hungary — exhibited in several stunning combinations. Among the showcased species, there were also uncommon ones, such as Agapornis pullaria, making the experience even more special.

Overall, the exhibition was beautifully organized, informative, and of an exceptionally high standard, offering visitors a fantastic opportunity to admire a wide variety of lovebird species and color mutations.