A Guide to CANARIES and the Bird's History, Characteristics, and Breeding Practices

Photo by erix!

Canaries are beautiful songbirds that have become a common pet in today's world. For centuries, people have appreciated this bird for its singing ability. A wild bird at its beginnings, they belonged to areas of the Canary Islands, Azores and Madeira. Thus, the bird gained its name as the canary. Because of its amazing singing abilities, they were domesticated beginning in the 1600s. Breeding these birds became a hobby for some and a profession for others. People are bewitched by their melodies, especially in male birds, who are the ones that can carry a beautiful tune. Started first as a high society hobby, canaries eventually became popular to the common man as well.

Canaries come in a variety of different colors such as orange, brown, white, black, yellow and red. They can be bred to be in different colors and sometimes they are even bred based on their sound patterns. Sometimes finding a canary that can sing the most beautiful complex melodies became something of a contest. Even today, there are much bird shows in the world where canary owners let their birds compete in a singing competition.

Breeding canaries tend to be a tough challenge because it is hard to determine the sex of the Canaries, which is a crucial part to see whether the bird can sing or not. The breeding conditions have to be optimal as well. They are best to be bred with one pair per cage. Bird cages such as double breeder cages or aviary cages, along with nesting boxes and nesting materials, tend to be an ideal environment for breeding. Initially, they require to get introduced to each other. Once they are seen the male is trying to breed with the female, then it is ideal to put them together in one cage.

During the breeding period, make sure that the Canaries are getting the best nutrition as they can get. Things such as cuttlefish bones, broccoli, apple, hard boiled eggs and bread are great to help replenish any nutritional deficiencies the mother might have during this period. With good nutrition and environment, the entire process should go smoothly.

The mother typically lays four to five eggs and spends four to five weeks to incubate the nest. The father's role is to bring the food and feed the mother. This time, again, good nutrition is ideal for the bird. Be sure to leave a lot of food in your double breeder cage or aviary cage. After the first round of breeding, the pair may go for a second round. The young birds should be separated by the partition on double breeder cages or even separate them to another cage so that they can safely grow.

As they grow up, the tunes they carry intrigue everyone all around. Always tend carefully to canaries because they are not birds who like to be handled much. If they are standing on your hand, then you can be sure they trust you a lot. Ultimately, canaries are the best pet to have if you enjoy beautiful music and breeding them can also be a wonderful experience.

By Mika Harimoto Mika Harimoto is an expert when it comes with animals because she has been living around them for many years. Article Source: EzineArticles

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CANARY CAGES - Tips on Choosing Canary Bird Cages

Cages for small birds in a shop window in Brussels.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Unless you're going to let your bird fly around the house, you're going to need a cage. There are many things you need to consider when buying canary cages. Two of the main considerations include size and type. This article will give you a few tips on choosing the right canary bird cages.

Size

Size is one of the most important things to consider. The Canaries are small birds. This means they can easily fit between the bars of the cage if they are spaced too far in between. Therefore, make sure you choose a cage with half an inch of spacing at most.

Material

You will also need to think about the material that the canary cages are made from. Some of the most common choices include wood, plastic and metal. It's best to get a metal cage. Wood and acrylic plastic cages can be difficult to clean, and you always want your birdcage to stay as tidy as possible.

Metal cages are also far more durable. Stainless steel and powder coated metal are definitely two good options. However, avoid designs that have thin wire, as they will be less durable. If you invest in a quality cage, then you likely won't have to buy another one anytime in the near future.

Shape

Another important consideration when choosing canary bird cages is its shape. When most people visualize cages, they think of a tall domed shape. However, canaries like to fly around horizontally instead of vertically. With this in mind, try to get a design that's pretty wide.

By Jake D - Article Source: EzineArticles

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How do You Get 8 Canaries When You Wanted One Male CANARY to Sing?

Canary birds - Photo  by Steve p2008 

How do you get 8 canaries when you wanted one male canary to sing?

We want a little male canary to sing and bring joy to our home. We found a Canary for sale at a national pet chain. The manager of the store told us how the male canary had been singing all day and eating strawberries.

I ask how he knew it was the canary singing.

He said from the song and was different from any other bird. Well, we are sold and took home this beautiful canary.

Being a die-hard Beatle fan I named the canary Mc after Sir Paul McCartney. Hearing Beatle songs always makes me feel good and knew the canary song would bring that same feeling of joy.

We are all excited and we bought strawberries and started doing some research on canaries. I found so much information it was confusing. The breeds to colors and different songs of canaries are truly fascinating.

Mc seems to be happy in her new home but no singing. Days went by and no singing.

I found canary songs on the internet and even a CD on how to make a canary sing. We listened to canaries sing and Mc liked the canary song but never joined in to sing along.

Then I found an egg in the cage. Wow! Being the inexperienced canary owner I went back to the internet for advice. Could a male canary have laid an egg? I don’t think so but what do I know.

I learned two things from this. Mc is a lady and she does not sing or eat strawberries. We went back to the pet store and were told they sell all canaries as male because they do not know the sex of a canary. Now that is an education by itself on how canaries are sold and what people tell you to get a sell.

We love our little Mc and the name is already attached to her and we are attached so no taking back the canary. To change the name just didn’t seem to work. Seems I have used Beatle names so Mc was going to remain the same even if he is a girl.

Mc is busy trying to build a nest every day. I have moved her into another cage or home. I changed rooms and the light she was getting. Nothing works. She wants to tear the paper in her cage and looks like teenagers wrapping toilet paper in trees at times. I will walk up to her and even with paper hanging from her mouth she will look at me as if she is asking

“What you never wanted to build a nest?”

Mc loves to take a bath along with eating her hard boiled eggs with greens or fruit. I keep quality bird seed at all times.

Now we have a beautiful female canary named Mc and how this turned into 7 more canaries I will explain in my next story.

The Canaries are wonderful pets and fun personalities. I am learning and would like to hear from others with their stores or information. I

Submitted by: Nancy Saporta - Source: www.isnare.com - Permanent Link

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What Makes CANARY Food Different From Other Bird Food?

Photo by Kanalu Chock

The Canaries are hard birds to breed, but not tough to feed. Luckily most canary food manufacturers know how fickle the diet of the canary can be and have developed proper mixtures aimed at keeping your bird's health in check. Canary grass seed should be a staple of your canary's diet and you should always check the ingredients to make sure this ingredient is at least 50% of the mixture if you're buying a seed mixture (this will vary for special "moulting mixes" or "color feed).

Canary grass seed originates from the same place canaries originally do (Mediterranean), and while it doesn't give them all the nutrition they need: It gives them more than other foods. They also require a food that's high in various vitamins and minerals (calcium is one of the important minerals in any good canary food). When you're breeding canaries; special moulting formulas should be used, which are high in protein, contain more fat content, and also have an extra boost of calcium -- all of which aid your pretty pet in their egg production.

One of the great things about owning a canary is their ability to entertain and look gorgeous, without needing your constant attention. Since the canary is known as a "birds bird", rather than a "people bird" like the parrot -- all you need to worry about is feeding them a proper diet and keeping their cage clean. Your canary will give you very little grief and a lot of fun with their singing ability and strange, endearing gestures.

You can feed your canary almost any fruit, nut, or vegetable that you would eat (other than avocado which contains too much fat). Canary food that you can feed them out of your fridge includes lettuce, pear, apple, small bits of carrot, peanut, cashew, and any pepper you can think of. Just remember that they are a soft beak bird, so any shelled food they get needs to fit into their mouth easily so they don't harm their beak.

By Tiffany Windhurst - Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Music of the Beaks: Understanding CANARIES

Japanese White-eye - Photo   by      Dakiny  (cc)

Big time symphonists turn their attention to the sounds of thunder, but a lyrical composer listens to bird sounds like that of canaries. I have a flutist friend who keeps canaries in a spare room in his home.

His canaries are called border canaries, the singing kind, all yellow in color. It is only the males that sing with songs as memorable as stashed-away kisses. Not only that, my friend plays his music with his canaries, for they listen and imitate him and sometimes perch on his flute.

Canaries live about ten to fourteen years and can reproduce twice a year. My flutist friend's canaries, now about twenty in number, descended from two canaries, since just a few years back.

He says their daily upkeep doesn't cost much and they are clean birds. Still, the most important thing a bird lover can do is to keep his canary cages or the room used as aviary sparkling clean. Canaries, as all birds, are more susceptible to diseases in a dirty environment.

Direct exposure to sun, too much outside noise, polluted air, sudden temperature changes, bad diet, lack of exercise can make canaries seriously ill. The Canaries should never be exposed to damp and drafty conditions since they can develop asthma and rheumatism. Should a canary become ill, the best bet is to consult a veterinarian.

These birds are accident prone, also. Bookshelves, wastebaskets, couches and big upholstered armchairs can serve as death-traps. The Canaries are known to fly into mirrors and windows and sustain concussions and broken limbs, too. If a spare room is to be made into an aviary, the furniture should consist of simple tables without drawers and wooden chairs.

Canaries have a light skeleton as they can fly and dart across a room, and they need large cages and space to fly. As most birds, they have a very high rate of metabolism that burns up energy during flight.

What a canary eats is important for its health. The seeds have to be fresh and drinking water clean. Canaries drink the water they bathe in. So, the saucers they bathe in should contain the same quality of water in their water bottles. Non-carbonated mineral water is best. Tap water, if chlorinated, is not good for any bird.

A proper diet for a canary consist of birdseed mixture, organic fruits, and vegetable greens, spray millet, cuttlebone or mineral stone, and once in a while, sprouts, fresh twigs, and hard-boiled egg yolk with low-fat cottage cheese. Pesticide sprayed greens, fruit pits, and the skin of an avocado act like poisons for a canary.

The eyes of a canary work independently of each other, and through the use of its eyes, a canary orients itself to its environs. The vision of a canary draws almost a full circle of 320 degrees.

Canaries also possess an acute hearing. The structure of a canary's ear is akin to that of mammal, but without a flap. Otherwise, how else would the bird imitate a flute?

It is fun to watch canaries in their daily life. They preen themselves, and out of friendship, each other. In addition, the courting birds dance and feed each other. When the birds are relaxed and happy, they sit on one leg and may puff their plumage.

When a canary sleeps, it partially buries its head in its back and fluffs up its feathers. Canaries sleep through the night and are awake at daytime, but a relaxed and non-threatened bird may take short naps during the daytime.

Male canaries may sing as they fly over what they consider to be their territory. They also sing while attracting the female. The female may sing too; although the female bird has the necessary organs for singing, its voice is so soft that it is not heard.

When two canaries threaten each other, they raise their beaks and flap their wings. In general, however, canaries in a colony live peacefully together.

All birds hate to be seized, especially because human fingers hurt their feathers. If a canary escapes from its cage, it is better to cajole it back rather than to try grasping it.

Keeping a single male canary alone in a cage is not fair to the bird, no matter how good a care its owner might give him. A pair of canaries and a very large cage is the least you can do if you want canaries in your life.

By Joy Cagil - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Pet CANARY Care

Common Canary - Photo   by      rkramer62

If you're considering sharing your home with a pet canary, it's probably because you've heard so much about their nearly constant, bubbly singing. Join the club! Since the seventeenth century, pet owners the world over have kept canaries for nothing more than the sheer pleasure of birdsong filling their homes. A canary is not merely a feathered music box, though, and pet canary care is so much more than the gilded cage of old. A canary is a living thing, dependent on you for food, shelter, and love, and canary care, while not rocket science, involves a certain level of avian expertise. Ready to become an expert? Study hard!

Thanks to selective breeding, there's quite possibly a canary out there to suit every personality and desire. Some canaries are bred for their coloration, some are bred for their shape, and some, of course, are bred to produce a very specific song pattern. What kind of canary you purchase will depend on what canary resources are available near you. If you can find a reputable canary breeder, that will be your best option. Many pet stores now, however, commit to purchasing healthy birds only from reputable breeders but check first to make sure that your canary was not wild caught or raised in less-than-desirable conditions. If the pet store manager cannot account for where your potential canary came from, don't buy a canary from that store! Oh, and be sure that the canary you purchase is a male if it's a strong singer you're after. The females are incapable of producing the characteristic long trills and melodies that made canaries famous.

The Canaries can be quite delicate, so a primary part of learning to care for a pet canary is to realize that prevention is key. If there's a number one rule of pet canary care, it's that you absolutely must keep your canary away from drafts at all times. A drafty room can kill a canary without any warning whatsoever, and even a slight draft can prevent your canary from warbling. If a lit candle flickers when held outside your canary's cage, then you've picked a spot that's too drafty for your new feathered friend!

As far as cages go, your canary doesn't require anything too spectacular-just enough room to hop about and stretch his wings. Make sure you purchase a cage that is at least two feet wide and three or four feet tall. Get a cage with a tray in the bottom to make for easy cleaning, and make sure that the bars of the cage are not coated with toxic paint or other chemical sealants. You should clean your canary's cage thoroughly at least once a week, washing perches, food and water containers, and toys in a mild bleach solution, and wash down the rest of the cage with dish soap and warm water.

While they can't stand drafts, canaries do love indirect sunlight. A good supply of natural light will keep your canary singing, and will also interest him in breeding should a female be present. If a draft will kill a canary the fastest, a second runner-up is a dehydration. Because of their speedy metabolisms, canaries require a lot of water and may die if they go as little as a day without it. Change your canary's water daily and never leave for more than a day without asking someone to water your canary for you. As for food, the seed is the mainstay of a canary's diet, and there are many good commercially available seed mixes made specifically for canaries. You should supplement your canary's seed with a little fresh fruit and boiled egg every day. An apple slice and a fourth of a hard-boiled egg are enough. You should also provide your canary with a cuttlebone, as he will gnaw on this to attain necessary calcium.

With these basic rules and supplies of pet canary care well in hand, you're ready to seek out the perfect canary for you. Will you choose a rosy red colorbred canary, an exotic Persian Singer, or something in between? Whatever your decision, your canary will thank you exuberantly for the next ten to fifteen years the best way he knows how-by singing his heart out.

By Barry Mcgee - Article Source: EzineArticles

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The CANARY As a Pet - Varieties of CANARIES

Photo  by Kanalu Chock 

Although the popular budgerigar is kept for its bright colours, some people would rather have a bird that can sing. The Canaries are beautiful songsters with attractive colours of yellow, golden, orange and silver. This article will take a quick look at the most popular varieties.

The Border Fancy Canary

A great bird for the beginner because it is hardy and will breed freely either in a breeding cage or in an aviary. It is a pretty bird with a small, delicately proportioned body and a well-rounded head. A common plumage colour is an attractive glossy yellow. The Border Fancy is a 'type' bred canary valued more for its physical appearance than it's song.

The Roller Canary

This canary is so called because of it's pleasant 'rolling' of a song which has been esteemed for hundreds of years. To learn the proper song, a first moult young Roller cock used to be placed in the company of an older cock Roller. Nowadays, song training is mostly done using recordings. A good cock Roller can perform a remarkable warbling 'tour' consisting of a Bell Roll, Water Roll etc. all done with closed beak with just it's throat moving in and out. It resembles a Border Canary in appearance although a little larger.

The Norwich Plainhead

Another 'type' bred canary, the Norwich Plainhead has a stocky, cobby body with a full round head and thick brows. The fluffy plumage is usually coloured a deep orange or red and to help get this rich red-orange colour, the birds can be fed raw carrot as part of their diet. Norwich canaries also come in white, cinnamon, clear or variegated colours and are can be either plain-head or crested. They are not as lively or agile as other canaries but can make quite a friendly pet bird.

The Yorkshire Canary

Perching upright like a proud guardsman the Yorkshire is a slim and shapely bird well over 6 inches long. Unlike the fluffy Norwich canary, this bird has short silky feathers giving it a tight appearance.

The Lizard Canary

This old breed of canary has a patterned plumage that looks a bit like the scales of a lizard. Each feather has a fine pale outer fringe caused by a gene which restricts melanin in the plumage. The overall effect is to give the canary an attractive spangled look especially in its first year of life. Lizard canaries are yellow and buff in colour but the terms gold and silver are used to describe them.

The Gloster Fancy Canary

This is a relatively recent breed and is smaller than the Border, although having a crest. A crested Gloster is known as a Corona and those without crests are known as Consorts. It is a small canary, very alert and an extremely quick mover and does not need a large cage. These characteristics and it's a pleasant song and rather an acute crest make it very popular as a pet and beginner's bird. A Corona must be paired with a Consort Gloster so the ensuing chicks will only have one copy of the mutant 'crested' gene. Chicks with a double copy of this gene will have thickened skulls and will not survive.

The Red Factor Canary

is a cross between a yellow ordinary canary and the Red Siskin from South America. The result is a canary with a striking plumage with colours from a very deep orange to red-bronze. These gorgeous and attractive colours are maintained by feeding a diet rich in beta-carotene. Small and lively, it is little wonder that it is popular and enjoyed by many people who find it an entertaining pet bird.

By Robert Turberville - Article Source: EzineArticles

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PECULIARITIES in breeding CANARIES

Photo by erix! 

Incubation 

After the time of incubation, which proceeds for 13 – 14 days, the baby – birds start hatching. The knock the shell from inside with the help of “ the egg – tooth ”, which is a small chalk tentacle on the upper side of the beak and with its help baby – birds manage to make a hole, which they broaden gradually. At last, they are able to get out of the egg, breaking its obtuse end. According to some people, the just – born birds look like “touching beasts " – nestlings with some fluffs, big raised shut eyes and wide open hungry beaks. 

Family life 

Only the female bird warms babies and just on the next day, it starts feeding them. On the day of hatching, they do not need any food – the yolk that it still in their abdominal cavity as a reserve is enough. The male canary takes care of providing food – it often feeds the babies by pouring grounded food into their beaks. The female bird looks after the cleanness into the nest – she either eats alone or takes out of the nest the excrements of the babies that are covered in mucus. In about 7 – 8 days the mucous membrane stops forming and small birds sit on the nest ' sedge alone, put their posteriors out and shoot their excrements away. Cares in the nest take about 16 days. After that young birds leave the nest, but their parents continue to feed them additionally for a certain time. 

ADVICE: If the birdcage is big enough, leave the family together. But if the female bird starts pulling its feathers out to build a new nest you should separate the young birds from their parents. 

Controlling the nest 

You can quietly look in the nest until the 14. days. Then it is better to leave everything in peace. If small canaries stay deeply crouched and cuddle into each other into the nest, it is very dangerous if you put your hand inside. They can get freighted and to go out of the nest and thus to hurt themselves.

ADVICE: If it happens so that a small canary falls out of the nest, take it into your palms and hold it at least for half an hour near the radiator. Only then return it back to the nest. 

Feeding 

During the time of incubation and breeding the small birds : 

Give calcium to the female birds. Generation of eggs spends calcium in great amounts from its body. 

Add additional nourishing mixtures for the growth of small birds (they can be found in a zoo – shops ). They should be at disposal of parent birds all the time while they feed the baby – birds. Besides, often control these mixtures to be fresh. They should be loose and easy to break them to pieces. 

Growth of baby – birds 

1st – 5th day... Baby – canaries are still with eyes shut and take up embryonic position; they lie down with their bellies up without stretching their necks. 

6th day. They open their eyes. The tubules on feathers can be clearly seen 

7th – 8th day. The canaries start shooting alone their excrements out of the nest. 

12th day. The tubules covering the feathers now get torn and feathers grow. 

17th – 18th. Yong canaries leave the nest, but they are still additionally fed by their parents. 

30th day. Young birds are fully independent. 

2nd – 6th month. Languishing because of “ youth change ". All feathers are changed except for the flying ones. All feathers get the same full color that old birds have and now the young ones are sexually mature.

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PECULIARITIES in nesting of CANARIES. How to bread canaries (Difficulties in laying eggs)

Photo  by godhead22 

If at the time of laying eggs the female canary stays bristled up and immovable, this could mean that it has difficulties in laying eggs. The mature egg, ready to be laid, cannot pass through the cloaca – the reasons can be different. The normally formed egg cannot be laid by the female only when it is ill or weak. In extraordinary situations very often it happens so that the egg has no shell and only an egg with a shell can press the muscles of the oviduct – a soft egg without a shell can do this. The shell does not form only when the organism of the female bird does not have enough calcium. Excessively young females very often have difficulties in laying eggs. 

IMPORTANT! If you do not have enough experience, take the bird to a vet. Only a very experienced selectionist can afford to try different types of help. 

Suggestions for advanced ones: 

- Turn on the infrared light. 

- With a pipette drip a drop into the cloaca. It very often helps and after half an hour the egg gets out.

- Very easy and carefully massage the area around the cloaca.The egg without shell cracks and practically drips out. Controversially - the normally formed egg should not crack as pieces of the shell can cause internal traumas. 

How to prevent nesting? 

Generally, female canaries are ready to nest from spring till the beginning of summer which makes it possible to nest once -twice a year, the same as the free-living canaries. The delicate domestic canaries could “ fall out ” of this rhythm and to be ready to nest for excessively long time. More than 2 nestings a year are very exhausting for the female bird. In such cases, you should interfere and prevent them. This, of course, can be done after the first nesting in case that you don't want other small ones. 

One of the possibilities is not to give the female bird any opportunity to make a nest, this means to take out all materials necessary to make a nest. Sometimes this reduces its desire to build a nest. However, many female birds go on by plucking feathers from themselves or from the male canary. In such cases, you have no other chance than allowing the bird to build the nest and to lay eggs. Then replace every egg laid with an artificial one. The female bird can incubate these eggs as long as it wishes. Finally, remove the nest – you should not trouble that the female bird will suffer from psychiatrical shock and will be sad. Such cases in wild nature can be seen very often. Laying eggs is not a guaranty to bring up a progeny, they could not be inseminated. 

What you should not do? To give medication which prevents nesting.First of all, they are not very efficient and second they are harmful very often.

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CANARY BIRDS Have Been Ideal Pets for Centuries

Canary Bird - Photo by steve p2008 

The value of canary birds as pets was first recognized by the Spaniards in the 15th century. Spain took ownership of the Canary Islands early in the 1400s and noticed the beautiful singing birds. As a side note, the birds became known as canaries because they came from the Canary Islands. Many people think that the islands got the name because there are so many canaries there. But it is the other way around. Canaries are also found in the Azores and Madeira.

The early Spanish settlers and explorers knew that the pretty yellow birds with their melodic sounds would make perfect pets. They also discovered that only the male canaries sing. Clever businessmen that they were, they controlled the market by creating a monopoly on male canaries. As with any controlled product, the price of male canaries was high enough that they were considered pets only for the wealthy.

As with any successful business venture, soon there were copycats and canary birds became available in Italy and Germany and from there, they spread through the rest of Europe. At the same time breeders began refining the breed of canary birds so that the most appealing songsters, those with the prettiest colors, and the best body structure were bred for their attributes.

The domestic canary birds that are available today are different from the wild canaries that the Spanish first brought home for sale due to the long selective breeding process. They are beautiful pets and can bring joy into your home. They live up to 10 years. They are easy to feed as they like human food. It is however a better idea to feed them food designed for their breed. It has more of the full range of nutrients that they need. They also need a lot of water. They have fast metabolism and can get dangerously dehydrated quickly.

If you wanted to breed your own canary birds, they are well suited to raising their family in captivity. All you really need is one pair of birds sharing a cage. Just make sure that they have enough room to live together in the cage. A good size is 2 feet by 4 feet. This gives them space to move around. Canaries are not always in breeding mode. Typically they are fertile when the days are 12 hours long. In many places this eliminates winter and summer when the days are either shorter or longer than 12 hours.

While they are small and delicate in appearance, canaries are fairly hardy. There is one thing that can be hard on them and that is rapid changes in the environment. A draft can be very dangerous to your canary and a sudden blast of chilly air can kill a canary. A rule of thumb is if the breeze makes a candle flicker, then it is too drafty for a canary to live in that spot. Canary birds do like sunlight but not direct sunlight that will overheat them.

By Kevin Highfill - Article Source: EzineArticles

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CANARIES Are Social Creatures

Photo by steve p2008 

The Canaries are, by their very nature incredibly social creatures. Whether in the wild or in captivity, they prefer to spend their time with others of their kind as opposed to spending a great deal of time in solitary confinement.

Ideally, canaries should be kept in pairs (breeding pairs) but if you only have a small handful of birds, you should be able to house them all in the same aviary, assuming that the males don't begin acting aggressively with one another or the hens in the cage.

If you're maintaining a larger, more professional-type aviary, it's a good idea to keep the ratio of females to males markedly higher to avoid any fighting or "unfriendly" competition. While it's very rare for fighting canaries to kill one another, that doesn't mean that illnesses and injuries won't result.

If you're just starting out in the canary breeding and raising sphere, you should also be aware that you can keep canaries with other breeds of birds, like finches.

However, before you introduce a new bird, keep in mind that it's important to opt for a soft-billed variety, as hook-beaked birds can inflict SERIOUS damage on your canaries. You should also keep in mind that if you're maintaining a breeding aviary, you should never house more than two different species of birds inside to make life easier on EVERYONE involved.

Keep a close eye on your canary to ensure that he or she is showing all of the signs of happiness and contentment. If you begin to suspect that your canary could benefit from a little extra toys or interaction, whatever you do - don't procrastinate.

When your canary is dying from boredom, they very well could be LITERALLY dying from boredom...

Birds are much, much smarter than they're often given credit for, and this inherent intelligence demands some type of physical and mental stimulation to maintain optimal health and well-being.

While your children may complain that they're dying of boredom, when it comes to your canary, this is actually a very real risk...

Bored or anxious canaries are prone to a whole host of illnesses and issues, ranging from plucking their own feathers, ceasing to sing, lack of interest in breeding and more... Just as no man is an island, canaries aren't loners either. Make sure that you keep this point in mind when you're establishing your cages and aviaries and you'll be off to a great success!

Until next time, wishing you all the health and happiness with your pet canaries:-)

By Arlo Demille - Article Source: EzineArticles

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CANARY Breeding - Four Tips on Breeding CANARIES

Yellow-fronted Canary - Serinu mozambicus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Canary breeding can be done for profit or mere enjoyment of the new birds. If you want to breed your own, there are a few things you need to know. This article will give you a few tips on breeding canaries.

Diet

Before you try to breed the two, you need to start feeding them a rich diet. This will help give them more energy for the upcoming egg production and physical activity. It's best to feed the birds green vegetables, apples, and boiled eggs.

Fighting

One of the main problems you may experience when canary breeding is fighting. The male will sometimes clash with the female. The male's abuse may even become life-threatening. Therefore, make sure you keep an eye on things and separate the two if you have to. You can help prevent fighting by keeping the two birds in adjacent cages until they get used to each other.

Nest

You will need at least one nest for each pair of birds when breeding canaries. It may be a bit better if you provide two nests. The nest can be made from materials such as burlap, dryer lint, and shredded paper. Some birds can be a bit picky.

Eggs

Most hens lay five small blue eggs, while some can produce up to eight. A week or so after she starts to sit on the eggs, you should hold each one up to a light to check for signs of an embryo. If the eggs are clear after all this time, you should toss it out. Make sure that you always wash your hands before handling the eggs. Harmful substances can rub off on your hands and cause damage to any developing chicks through the eggshell.

By Jake D - Article Source: EzineArticles

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CANARY BIRD - Serinus canaria

Canary Bird - Serinus canaria

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Keeping A CANARY

Lavinia, like her canaries, is imprisoned. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is said while creating the canary, God had taken the same utmost care as he did when creating the earth so as to make it one of its finest creations.

The brightest semblance that a canary exerts is that it is both a wonderful pet to view and wonderful to hear sing. It is always in motion, cheering on its own and seems to have a keen interest in things that it comes across.

Truly speaking, canaries form that breed of bird that has been with men for centuries and its selective breeding has led to various shades and colors. The original wild canaries are mostly a drab greenish-brown color whereas it is well-known that canaries tend to be yellow. But yellowness has been developed by selective breeding. Generally, people want canaries mainly for their singing ability. Male canaries are the best singers.

It is nice to see, but to keep a canary there are several steps that should be taken essentially for its safe and secure livelihood. As is applicable in cases of other pets, certain conditions are also required so as to make the canary's life more comfortable.

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To begin with, care must be taken over of all its basic needs like food dishes and water that ought to be provided in a good state. Dishes tend to absorb moisture and that in turn can promote bacterial growth and cause all kinds of health problems and thus endanger the lives of these tiny species. They should also be provided with canary seed mixture and cuttlebone for calcium.

The canary's cage needs a couple of good perches. Therefore due concern should be paid to style, size, and materials to keep the birds healthy and content.

Generally, these birds remain happy in those cages that are large enough so as to enable them to fly at ease from one perch to another. Simply hopping from place to place fails to provide sufficient exercise. To enrich their lifestyle the cages should be at least 24" long by 15" deep by 18" tall. This is the benchmark that is expected and should be maintained before proceeding in any venture to keep canaries. Moreover, some people to let them loose at least once a day.

There are also limitations that should be stringently observed. Since these canaries are one of the most delicate species, care should be taken with windows and mirrors irrespective of their sizes - ensure there is no chance of injury.

There are also chances of harm from other pets. Since nowadays we are accustomed to having multiple pets, care should be taken that other animals are kept at bay. There is a possibility of losing the little creatures if they are allowed to fly free out of their cages without taking precautions. Try to make it a habit to clean the bird's cage thoroughly once a week including the seed (or pellet) cups, the water container, and the perches.

By Dr. Mark Clayson - Article Source: EzineArticles

Fact Sheet: CANARY - Serinus canaria

(Original Title: Rainforest Birds - Canary)

Photo by steve p2008

Bird Name:

Canary

Latin Name:

Serinus canaria

Status:

Least Concern

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Fringillidae

Genus: Serinus

Species: S. canaria

General Information:

The wild species is also known as Canary, Island Canary, Tame Canary, and Atlantic Canary. The Domestic Canary has been bred in captivity since the 1600s. They are divided into three main groups: Colorbred Canaries (bred for mutations), Type Canaries (bred for their shape), and Song Canaries (bred for unique song patterns). The word "Canary" is derived from the Latin canaria, "of the dogs", referring to the numerous wild dogs that inhabited the islands.

Physical Description:

The average length of the wild Canary is 12.5 cm, with a wingspan of 20 to 23 cm, and a weight of 15 to 20 gm. They are yellow green, with brownish streaking on their back and wings and have gray and brown in their plumage. The beaks and feet are pale in color. Females are duller in color.

In the case of the domesticated Canaries, there are hundreds of mutations that will have numerous variations in color.

Diet:

The diet in the wild consists of fruits, seeds, and nuts. They have a grove on the inner beak that helps them to break open nuts.

Habitat:

The Canary is native to the Azores, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. It inhabits semi-open areas such as orchards where it nests in shrubs and trees. It resides in elevations from sea level to 1700 m. A number of escaped populations occur on Bermuda, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

Reproduction:

Breeding is generally between January and July. Females build the nests in bushes or small trees. Incubation takes about 14 days and the chicks fledge after two weeks.

By Tony Mandarich  - Article Source: EzineArticles

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