At up to $5000 each, these little budgerigars are not going cheap

Budgie breeding is serious business – just ask Adelaide man Troy Holmes. We’re talking four-digit price tags and security guards to keep birds safe at overnight showing events.

Troy Holmes and some of his young budgies. Picture: Brenton Edwards

When Troy Holmes isn’t working in the high stress world of industrial robotics he’s relaxing with his budgerigars.

The cheeky little parrots are Mr Holmes’s favourite way of unwinding, and he loves nothing more than spending time with his 400 birds at his eastern suburbs aviary.

But as cute as the birds are there’s actually a more serious side to budgie breeding once you get to Mr Holmes’s level, with single birds going for as much as $5000 each and security guards contracted to keep the birds safe at overnight showing events.

Troy Holmes, president of the Budgerigar Council of SA. Picture: Brenton Edwards

For Mr Holmes, it all started with a little wild budgie called Stephan found on his uncle’s market garden. Stephan actually turned out to be a Stephanie, and she kicked off a journey of budgie breeding that continues to this day.

Mr Holmes, the current president of the Budgerigar Council of South Australia, the breeding and showing of budgies is unique in its ability to bring together people from all walks of life.

“You can stand there in a room and watch a machinist talking to a street performer who’s talking to a building inspector who’s talking to the CEO of a company and they’re all completely engrossed and all on the same level,” he said.

Troy Holmes and his prize-winning budgie worth $5000. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“The only thing that matters is how good a ‘stockman’ you are, your ability to breed and raise and good bird.”

And those good birds swap hands at very high prices.

“Covid has really driven the price of budgies up, so you can imagine any time there’s a show then there’s quite a few dollars in that room,” he said. “And the budgies will stay at a show overnight, which is why we bring in the security guards to take care of them.”

For anyone interested in seeing the state’s best budgies before they take off to next week’s national titles in Victoria, the South Australian state titles are open to the public today from noon until 2pm at the Enfield Community Centre, 540 Regency Rd.