Canaries, prized for their beautiful song and lovely colors, are a type of finch, and are soft billed. Although males are most often the singers, occasionally a hen will do a little singing. Except under rare circumstances, plumage is not an indication of gender; generally, if the bird sings it is considered a male, or singer; if it merely "tweets" and "peeps" it's considered a female, or hen.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Canaries originally came from a group of islands west of Africa known as the Canary Islands. The islands were inhabited by fierce wild dogs (Canis) for which the Romans named them. The wild canary first captured the attention of the Spaniards during their invasion of the islands in 1473. The little green/brown birds soon became popular with the soldiers and sailors because they were quickly tamed, they became well adjusted to their cages and the males sang irresistible, cheerful songs. The Spanish soldiers and sailors often took these birds back to Spain as souvenirs for their own enjoyment and as gifts for their lady friends. This practice became so popular that the birds were nicknamed "little sugar birds." As the Spaniards recognized demand for these little sugar birds, they began exporting them. Over the past 500 years, careful selective breeding has provided the world with many beautiful colors and types of canaries.
CHOOSE YOUR FANCY
Canaries are grouped into three basic categories:
1. Type (body size and shape, and stance: Border, Fife, Gloster, Norwich, Frill, Yorkshire, etc.)
2. Color (green, blue [white/black/gray], yellow, orange, red, brown, and various combinations)
3. Song (Roller, Waterslager, American Singer, Timbrado, and Chopper or Warbler)
A Fourth type should probably be recognized: the "mixed breed" or "Kitchen Canary". Although they won't win any prizes at canary shows, these colorful little gems make wonderful pets and often have hearty and varied songs.
THIS MAN IS AN ISLAND
Male canaries are very territorial, and two males should never be kept in a cage together. Two males in a cage is a recipe for disaster! Surprising as it may seem, your little songster will not be lonely without feathered friends, so long as you remember that you are his flock. He wants to be your friend, so talk to him, play music for him, let him watch TV with you, and treat him to the canary's all-time favorite sound: your vacuum cleaner. If you must leave him alone for long stretches of time, be kind enough to leave him with a radio or some other audible entertainment. Remember that his ancestors lived in the wild, where a quiet jungle or forest means only one thing: danger. He will feel more secure if his daytime environment has a little bit of "noise".
If you have your heart set on a pretty flock of canaries, consider a few hens, or perhaps one singer and some hens. Although three or more males may be housed together, they probably won't sing, or only the "top bird" will sing. The male sings for two basic purposes-to flirt with lady birds and to claim his territory. Usually, he must feel like his space is his own for his song to be in top form. Also, if he is surrounded by ladies, well, he's already won, hasn't he? If you must have the pretty flock and the song, and he simply won't oblige, consider putting him in a separate cage. But please don't make him share it with a parakeet--he's liable to get his toes nipped off.
CHOOSE YOUR FEATHERED FRIEND CAREFULLY
A well cared for, healthy canary can have a lifespan of ten to fifteen years. To ensure that your relationship gets off to a good start, first consider whether you want a bright, beautiful song to cheer your home (male), or a sweet little tweeter who won't wake you up at the crack of dawn (female).
Look for an active bird with bright eyes, and well groomed, smooth plumage. Avoid a bird that has a crusty-looking beak or feet, or seems to be struggling to breathe (these things can signal a mite infestation). A bird that looks puffy or sleepy (unless it is sleeping!) probably isn't a healthy bird, and can only bring you heartache. Check for a leg band so that you know who the breeder is and the age of the bird. If you are purchasing a singer, make sure that he comes with a guarantee to sing. A good breeder should work with you to bring him into song, or, if "he" lays an egg (oops!) work things out with you to your mutual satisfaction.
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
To make the move to your home as easy as possible, get the cage ready before you bring your bird home. If the cage has been used previously, thoroughly clean and disinfect everything nonporous and replace porous items such as wooden perches and cuttlebone. The bigger the cage the better, and it should be wide rather than tall, since canaries like to fly back and forth. Round cages should be avoided; they're confusing to canaries and can make your bird neurotic. A good tactic for keeping the cage clean is to layer a week's worth (7 layers) of newspaper or paper towels on the cage bottom. Remove 1 layer each day, and completely clean the cage once each week.
Perches should be of varying size, and can be plastic, wooden dowels, or natural branches. If natural branches are used, make sure the wood is non-toxic, and avoid especially cherry, yew, and cedar. Good choices are alder, aspen, apple, willow, and manzanita. Make sure you remove all of the buds and leaves and wash and dry the branches thoroughly before putting them in the cage, and avoid branches that have been sprayed with pesticides. Sandpaper perches should never be used; they can give your canary dangerous sores on its feet.
A cuttlebone in the cage is a necessity. Cuttlebone provides your canary with important nutrients such as calcium and iodine, and helps to keep the beak in good condition.
Provide for fresh seed and water each day. Consider a hooded seed cup; every canary knows that the best seeds are always on the bottom of the pile, and will happily send all of the rest flying across the room to get to them. Similarly, an open water dish is an invitation for a bath/shower. Unless you enjoy changing your bird's water 2-3 times each day, and don't mind having the cage's surroundings splashed, consider a water bottle with a ball point tube. A good choice is the 8 oz. "Lixit 45o Wide Mouth Water Bottle" which is durable and easy to clean.
The location of your canary's cage will directly affect his health and happiness. By a sunny window is best, as long as there is always a sizable shaded region within the cage. Full spectrum lighting will help keep your bird healthy. Cage height should be between your head and waist, low enough for you to interact well with him, but high enough to help him feel in control and secure. If you tower over him, he may feel that you are a predator instead of his friend, and he may be constantly on guard. If your singer isn't singing, his cage may not be high enough.
Canaries enjoy small toys such as beads and bells, and especially swings. Try threading some pony beads onto the side wire of his swing… he will enjoy pushing them up and down. Avoid mirrors-they look like competition and may keep your singer from singing. Also avoid rope toys or anything else that could catch small toes or legs.
Never place the cage in a draft of any sort!
THE AIR WE BREATHE
Canaries are very sensitive to air borne pollutants, such as hair spray, perfume, candles, heated Teflon, cleaning products, heated cooking oils, air fresheners, pesticides, herbicides, etc. Remember that miners used to take canaries into mines with them to detect toxic fumes-a sick or dead canary meant 'get out fast!' Take special care to keep your canary's cage away from any possibly toxic fumes or strong smells.
ALL DRESSED UP
Your canary's plumage is his pride, and he likes to keep it clean. You'll probably see him preen regularly, gathering oil with his beak from the preen gland at the base of his tale. Provide a bath for him once a day, or as a minimum, once a week. A plastic enclosed birdbath that can be temporarily mounted to an open cage door, and which will contain the shower as he splashes with gusto is a good option to help keep his cage and your surroundings clean and dry. He may not trust it at first, but after a few days of seeing it come and go he'll probably give it a try, and learn to love it. He may also learn to enjoy a daily misting with a sprayer. Never leave soiled bath water sitting in his cage; he'll be tempted to drink it.
Canary wings should never be clipped. Clip his toenails with fingernail clippers as needed. Learn how to properly hold and groom him from someone experienced with grooming small birds. Keep styptic powder or a small container of alum handy in case you cut his nails too short. Usually, only the nails on his back toe and middle front toe will need to be clipped.
DINNER TIME
Provide your canary with a small scoop of canary seed/pellet mixture and fresh water in a clean bottle or dish every day. Most fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables are also desirable, and should be offered regularly. Fresh dark greens should be offered every day if possible, especially kale. Try to vary his greens. As a rule, the darker the green, the better. Dandelion leaves, flowers, and seeds still in the pod are excellent if you are certain that they have not been treated with any chemicals.
A small piece of fresh apple should be offered at least once a week-this will help to keep his liver healthy. Good choices for other fruits and vegetables are: wheat grass, raw corn on the cob, grated carrots or yams or sweet potatoes, sliced bell peppers-especially red varieties-with the seeds, broccoli heads, sliced okra, cucumbers and various squash (sliced in half-he'll probably start with the seeds and finish up with the skin), red beets (peeled and grated), and peas.
An occasional piece of hard boiled egg is good, but don't overdo it. Too much protein can stress his liver and make his feet hurt. Never leave any cooked or frozen food in the cage for more than 2 hours, as it can spoil and make your bird very sick.
"Prime", a concentrated vitamin, mineral, amino acid and probiotic supplement is highly recommended to fill in nutritional gaps and bolster your canary's immune system. Sprinkle it daily on his soft foods according to package instructions.
Absolutely avoid feeding your bird avocado, chocolate, caffeine, sugary or salty or fatty foods, and alcohol.
Most houseplants and ornamental flowers are toxic to birds and should be kept away from your canary's cage. If he can reach them, he will probably eat them.
FEATHERS, FEATHERS, EVERYWHERE
Canaries molt (shed and replace their feathers) during the hot summer months. This is highly stressful to them, and they usually don't sing while molting. It's especially important to provide your bird with high quality food at this time, including grated carrots and beets to enhance orange and red colors, and dark leafy greens, especially kale, to enhance yellow shades. There are commercial "color foods" readily available as well; while not absolutely necessary, they contain the proper ingredients to bring his new plumage the closest to it's full potential. Give him cucumber regularly during the molt--it seems to ease the process. This would be a good time to replace his cuttlebone. If he refuses to chew on it, scrape a little into his soft foods.
If your bird is a singer, consider obtaining a tape or CD of canary song to play for him, along with other types of music. He will actually replace brain cells and rebuild his song with what he hears during his molt, and if carefully managed, his song can become more varied and beautiful each year. Many canary fanciers have been surprised to find that their little pet's new song includes a ringing telephone.
Good nutrition, a daily bath, and a little extra warmth will help your little friend get through the molt with 'flying colors'.
UNDER THE WEATHER
Many human illnesses are contagious to canaries, so please take extra care not to infect your pet if you are sick. 'Cold sores' can be deadly; if you experience one, consider asking another family member to attend to your bird's needs for a few days. As a general precaution, always wash your hands before handling him or his food.
An avian vet check is recommended for all new birds, but is especially important if you notice any unusual behavior or signs of illness such as: sleeping all day, puffed up feathers, inactivity, sitting on the bottom of the cage, not sleeping on one leg, mucous or crustiness around nostrils or beak, a black spot/lesion on the beak similar to a cold sore, clicking noise when breathing, wheezing or coughing or sneezing frequently, breathing through an open mouth for long periods of time, drooping wings, standing on one leg while awake, a hair or fine string wrapped around a leg (it can cut off circulation), unusual feces, feather loss--especially on the face--not associated with the molt, or anything else that just looks wrong. DON'T WAIT! Call or take your bird to an avian vet ASAP!
For a trip to the vet with a sick bird: Place the bird in a small cage with a heating pad under one side. Cover the cage on 3 sides with a large towel. Place food and water on the floor of the unheated side of the cage. Place two perches in the cage; one high, and one low.
FINALLY...
Enjoy your canary! Be patient as he builds his trust in you. Soon, his cheerful song or her happy twitters and tweets will add to the pleasant ambience of your home.