AS lead singer in a successful cabaret band, Tracy-Ann Griffiths (pictured) is used to the limelight. But now she's winning fame as one of Wales' most prominent parrot-breeders.

She may be reaching for the stars by night, but her passion for celestial parrots keeps her feet firmly on the ground.

The mother of four is quickly becoming one of Wales' most successful parrot breeders since turning her bird hobby into a business recently.

And with her band, Romany, among one of Newport's most popular and in-demand cabaret bands, Tracy-Ann admits she has to juggle a hectic lifestyle.

"I've always been hyperactive - and a good thing too with my lifestyle," she said.

"After sorting out the children in the morning and seeing them off to school, I immediately tend to my birds. As well as cleaning and feeding them I have to spend a lot of time watching their behaviour.

"This gives me information on what's going on with each pair of birds during the breeding cycle. It can save mistakes happening if I'm in tune with them and also achieve higher success rates."

Tracy-Ann specialises in celestial parrots but also owns a wide range of other parrot species including African Greys, Senegals, Amazons, Quakers and canaries.

"Parrots can cost a lot of money, anything from £500 to £1500. I wanted to cater for the bottom end of the market for people like OAPs and kids.

"Now I own 48 celestials and there's about 15 eggs waiting to hatch. These parrots costs about £35 and can be taught to talk and do tricks just like fully-sized parrots."

Tracy-Ann's parrot hobby started two years ago but she soon realised the business potential, investing £12,000 in building two aviaries and purchasing more birds. She now receives enquiries from across the UK.

"This morning I had a call from a lady in London who was recently widowed. She just wanted some advice about buying a small parrot.

"Her children were grown up and left and she wanted a pet but not the responsibility of a cat or dog so I recommended that she buy a small celestial talking parrot.

"They're the smallest parrot in the world and measure only five inches tall but just because they're so small it doesn't make them any less of a parrot.

"I suppose I live quite an unorthodox life but I was brought up with birds from the day I was born because my father and grandfather used to breed them.

"My dream for the future is to breed all types of birds and own a bird park for the public. I think there's a good cause to have one in Newport as a major attraction."

When she is not tending to her birds, Tracy-Ann can be seen performing most weekends around the South Wales circuit with her cabaret band Romany.

"I've been singing with the band for several years. Initially it was just my husband Dave and me but we brought in third member Karen Maxwell, two years ago. We regularly sing as a threesome now.

"I only started singing relatively recently, although I knew a long time ago I could sing - I just kept it hidden.

"Then one night I got up to sing at a karaoke and everybody said I should start singing properly.

"My inspiration comes from Stevie Nicks from Fleetwood Mac, and it's just sheer luck I happen to sound very much like her."

The highlight of Romany's career came earlier this year when they performed in front of nearly 1,000 people at a caravan rally.

"We were in a massive stable belonging to horse-jumper David Broome. It was for the Caravan Club of Wales Annual Rally and we were shocked when we got there because we weren't expecting it to be so big."

And how do her children Lee, 17, Stevie, 13, Jessie 10 and six-year-old Rhiannon feel about their mother's unusual lifestyle?

"My children love the fact that I'm a singer and they're very attached to the birds. They just accept the two are a part of my life."

And it seems her daughter Stevie may be following in her mother's performing footsteps.

Stevie is a member of the Beaufort Theatre Group in St Julian's and has set up her own all-girl band with stepsister Angharrad Griffiths.

Going by the name 'Devalicious' they're looking for two or three new girls to join them.

Stevie said: "I don't want to follow my mum in the business of breeding birds - I'm the only one in the family the birds seem to peck. I'd much rather be a singer in a group."