What it’s all about

This site is dedicated to promote the awareness understanding and advancement of both the German Roller Song Canary and Red Factor Canary.  For those in doubt, it’s not just Showing the Red Factors that make me successful, it’s also the beautiful Song of the German Roller Canary!

A brief history: I have been raising birds for over 40 years. I specialize in breeding and exhibiting German Rollers and Red Factors. I currently live in Southern California and have been raising, training and exhibiting birds, both Red Factor and German Roller Canaries for over 25 years. German Rollers Song birds are bred for their deep hollow Song consisting of rolling, waving and beating tours.  Most Roller Canaries sing the four main tours: Hollow Roll, Bass, Hollow Bell and Flutes. My birds also have variety – Side tours such as Water Glucke and Schokel. I believe in experimenting with the birds and testing the limit lines within the birds to determine how far, is too far. Putting the correct Song tours together into one birds yields a great variety Song Bird, worthy of winning a Song Contest, but it also keeps the hobby challenging and interesting as a breeder. To keep that same Song bird in good condition and competitive is yet another. For example I had a bird that came under the scruntiny and criticism such as Roller 06′ 728, He was a special Water Glucke bird that dominated many shows, won many Awards, impressed all, and was always a pleasure to hear. His bloodline remains today ( Jan 2018) in my current line of birds. I will never forget him. He was a true Champion. His fate was not a death in my cages, rather an accidental release to wild in my residence in the Southern Cal Mountains near the Angeles National Forest. Not a bad way to go out.

Currently I’m  a certified German Roller Canary Judge and Master Breeder. I have been producing Champion Rollers consistently for over 15  years with my line of birds. I train and exhibit Roller Canaries at local and National Cage Birds Show when my life schedule permits. I showed at the 2018 NCBS Show in Chicago IL.

I’m  also a breeder and exhibitor Melanin Classis Red Factors. I have kept Color Bred Canaries even before the German Rollers.  About 35 years at this point.  I don’t listen to those who claim you can’t do both! The  Red Factor  Canaries are exhibited and judged on color and confirmation using National Color Bred Association Judging Standard and sheet. I specialize in Red Brown, Red Bronze,
Red Isabel, Red Agate and Red Isabel Pastel.  My Show success demonstrates the quality of birds. That being said, I learn more each year. You see it’s not easy to be successful year and year, it take work.  The harder you work the better the results. Most people today want instant success with their purchased birds. If your one of them, you may want to think twice before getting fully involved with the birds. But don’t be deterred by that – If you love the birds like I do then proceed forward and don’t look back. It’s worth it when you visit your aviary every day and see the way the birds give back the joy and beauty to you. It’s your creation and a reflection of your artist capabilities, expressed in your birds.  You see it’s all about the birds when you have your own aviaries.

I’m always available to discuss birds and help people get started in birds. Today it’s about helping others be successful with their birds. There’s much to learn, many mistakes to make. We need people to get involved in this old world hobby.  I train and exhibit my Color Bred Canaries at our Local Bird Shows in Southern and Norther California – such as Arcadia, Modesto/Turlock  and Oakland/Alameda.  I also participate and exhibit my birds at the National Cage Bird Show in Chicago when possible. While the National Show represents a large commitment and time to prepare and travel, it can be very fun and offer one of the greatest rewards. Competition is fierce, but the quality of bird is excellent.

Please send me an email spbillmire@gmail.com if have questions or your interested in getting started with the birds or just need some advice. I have birds available for purchase and generally make myself available to discuss birds and mentor novice breeders and newcomers wanting to get started in the Fancy. I can help you get started and set up with quality Roller or Color Bred Melanin Canaries, or connect you with other top Breeders in the US who have the birds you seek. There is a way to get started correctly.

Canary Bird Clubs I support, sponsor and belong:

•  National Cage Bird Club,
• Central Cal Cage Bird Club (Red Factors and other Canaries)
•  Central State Roller Canary Association (Rollers
• Sunshine Breeders Association in Florida
• National Colorbred Association
•  Oakland International Roller Canary Club (OIRCC),  which is my home German Roller Canary club
  • we try to hold a yearly Roller Song Contest in Alameda CA during the first week of December.
  • The OIRCC  club was established in 1923. It lives on defying the belief of many that it will die!  See http://oircc.com/

Dedicated to the Fancy,

Sincerely,
Steve Billmire