The canaries we know today were all obtained from the wild strain (green in colour), captured in the Canary Islands. Birds, traditionally brought by the navigators who stopped over on these islands, made highly prized gifts. Some were the pride of the 'bird masters' of the Spanish court.
There are currently more than 250 varieties of canary, grouped into three classes: colour canaries, song canaries, and type (posture) canaries.
Classification
- Common name
- Latin name
- Serin canary
- Serinus serinus
- Biological and physiological characteristics
- Colour canaries
Careful crossing and selection have brought out colours ranging from pure white (even albino) to bright yellow, browns, greens and many varieties between these original colours. A few hybridisations with the red siskin of Venezuela (Carualis cucculata) introduced the colour red into the species, multiplying the range of varieties thus obtained. The reds, or those derived from browns, reds, bronze, etc., have their colour enhanced by synthetic carotenoid pigments added to the diet.
Colour canaries make up a class comprising about 170 colours, all obtained from the wild bird. Two categories should be considered: canaries with plain, unmarked plumage and canaries with markings.
The canaries with plain, unmarked plumage are the lipochromes with a red, yellow or white base.
The canaries with markings are the 'melanins'. They have a more or less streaked and coloured plumage. Among these, one variety shows sexual dimorphism: the mosaics with a yellow or red base. The pigments are laid down at specific points of the plumage: head, shoulders and rump. The female is less colourful than the male.
Type (posture) canaries
Type (posture) canaries have a majestic bearing with a sometimes unusual or striking appearance. They are divided into 22 breeds comprising 5 classes.
Class 1 — Frilled form and posture canaries:
The Parisian Frill, the North Dutch Frill, the Gibber Italicus, the Padovan, the Spanish Giboso, the Swiss Frill
Class 2 — Posture canaries with smooth plumage:
The Belgian Bossu, the Scotch Fancy, the Munich (Münchener), the Hoso
Class 3 — Form canaries with smooth plumage:
The Border, the Fife Fancy, the Norwich, the Yorkshire, the Bernese, the Raza
Class 4 — Crested canaries:
The Gloster, the German Crest, the Crest, the Lancashire
Class 5 — Capped-pattern canaries:
The Lizard
Song canaries
Only the male sings. The song canary is bred for this trait. This group is made up of two breeds: the Malinois and the Harz. The latter sings with its beak closed and its vocal repertoire is made up of nine song 'tours'.
|
Origin |
|
Canary Islands |
|
|
Weight |
15-20 g |
|
Size |
13-18 cm |
|
Lifespan |
8-10 years |
|
Sexual dimorphism |
None, except for the colour variety known as the 'mosaic' |
|
Sexual maturity |
9 months for canaries born in June, 11 months for those born in March |
|
Laying—incubation |
4-5 eggs—13 days |
|
Fledging of the young |
30 days |
Sexual maturity
- 9 months for canaries born in June
- 11 months for those born in March
- Laying—incubation
- 4-5 eggs—13 days
- Fledging of the young
- 30 days
Care requirements
Diet
The diet is essentially made up of a mix of canary seed, millet, oat groats, linseed, hemp seed and rapeseed, as well as soft foods made with rusk and egg. These soft foods are given once or twice a week, or during the feeding (rearing) period.
Some commercial mixes are of excellent quality. However, these soft foods should not be given to the birds in excess, so as not to cause a fatty overload.
Giving greens is recommended: chickweed, dandelion, groundsel, shepherd's purse, etc. Sweet apple can usefully supplement the diet.
Canaries are wasteful and scatter a lot of seed on the floor, seed which they then no longer seek to eat.
For type (posture) canaries, the mix used consists of 75% canary seed, 10% rapeseed, and 20% oat groats.
For colour canaries, the mix consists of 73% canary seed, 10% rapeseed, 10% niger, 5% oat groats, and 2% linseed, to which a colour-enhancing additive can be added if necessary.
Environment
Bath dishes can be made available. For those interested, be aware that there are competitions for song, type (posture) and colour canaries. At this kind of event, a type of cage specific to the type of canary is required.
Source: Dr Boussarie, Point Vétérinaire
Common diseases
Like all birds, the canary hides illness for a long time: by the time the signs become visible, the situation is often already serious.
A canary that keeps its feathers fluffed up, stays motionless at the bottom of the cage, is drowsy or stops singing should alert you. In birds, these subtle signs are often already late ones: you must not wait.
The airways can be affected by small parasites (respiratory mites). The bird then breathes with a wheeze, makes a little 'click' and sometimes opens its beak to breathe. The legs and the base of the beak (the cere) can also become covered with thick crusts (scaly leg).
A diet made up solely of seeds eventually lacks certain vitamins (especially vitamin A) and weakens the bird. The beak and claws can also grow too long.
In the female, an egg can become stuck (egg binding): she sits fluffed up at the bottom of the cage and strains without result. This is an emergency.
Prevention Vary the diet with greens and suitable foods: this prevents a large proportion of deficiencies.
When to see a vet promptly repeatedly fluffed-up feathers, a less lively bird or one that sings less, wheezing breathing or a 'click', crusts on the legs or beak, an overly long beak or claws, abnormal droppings (colour, runny) that persist.
When to see a vet urgently difficult breathing (open beak, tail bobbing with each breath), a bird prostrate at the bottom of the cage refusing to eat, a fluffed-up female straining without managing to lay.
Key points in birds, a visible sign is often already a late one: do not wait. A varied diet prevents many problems. This information does not replace a consultation.