Canary profile | Original distribution and lifestyle

Canaries belong to the finch family (Finches) and to the Girlitze genre (Serino). They are called scientific Serinus canaria domestica. From summer to winter, the fast fliers roam in flocks of up to 50 animals across open landscapes interspersed with bushes and trees. The wild-colored canary, the canary, is barely noticeable due to its gray-brown spots among leaves, flowers and twigs. The yellow, orange, white and red color variants are particularly popular as pets.

Canaries have lived under the care of humans for many centuries and delight their owners with their beauty, their lively and agile nature and their unique singing. As a future canary owner, you should think carefully about their needs and peculiarities, so that both people and birds are happy and satisfied. In our profile we have summarized for you the most important things about canaries and their animal-friendly breeding.

I wait

Canaries known today as pets are the domesticated form of the canary. This is quite inconspicuous in appearance. Things look completely different when it comes to forms of farming. There are several directions here: vocal canaries, posture and color. These differ in terms of reproductive objective, i.e. whether e.g. B. Color, shape or singing abilities are in the foreground. All variants are larger than the wild form and sometimes differ significantly from it. While carrier canaries grow up to 23 cm in height, colored and singing canaries reach an average of 13 cm in height. In the breeding of colored canaries, 400 colors are known, including yellow, white, orange, red and brown, as well as different feather structures, which also influence the appearance (e.g. «musty» and «mosaic»). If cared for well, canaries can live 10 to 15 years.

Troublesome breeding of canaries

Unfortunately, so-called “torture breeding” is often practiced among canaries. These are characterized by the fact that some characteristics are so exaggerated and so pronounced that they sometimes severely limit the animals’ health or their movements/behaviors. Please refrain from supporting such crooked breeding by purchasing such animals. Canary Island birds are considered torture breeders, including Gibber Italicus and Espanol, Japan Hoso, Makige Mehringer, Paris Trumpeter and North and South Dutch. The list is not exhaustive. Before purchasing, find out if the breed you prefer falls into the breed category.

Original distribution and lifestyle

The homeland of birds is the Canary Islands. They are located in Tenerife, Gomera, La Palma and Hierro. Here the animals are offered the ideal habitat. It is not for nothing that the archipelago has been called the «Islands of the Blessed» since ancient times. They have also settled in nearby islands, the Azores and Cape Verde. From mid-January onwards individual pairs form during the breeding season. They prefer to breed in single trees or large bushes. The clutch consists of three to five light blue eggs, which the female incubates for 13-14 days. During this period it is fed by the male. The young grow rapidly and reach almost full plumage within 15 days. During this period they are already fledging, but often return to the nest. The male teaches them to eat independently, while the female starts another brood, followed by a third brood if conditions are favorable.

The wild form of canaries, the Canary Fawn, lives in larger flocks outside of the breeding season. Here he finds safety and protection among other animals. The animals live only in pairs during reproduction. The canary is an excellent singer. Some melodies or elements are innate, others are learned over the course of life. Breeding methods have maintained this talent or, in the case of singing canaries, have even increased and expanded it.

Important: Canary breeders often wonder why their birds don’t sing. However, female birds do not sing, only roosters do so during courtship and the breeding season.

Animal-friendly breeding

Accommodation

Canaries feel more comfortable in flocks/groups outside of the breeding season. These offer safety and security. During the breeding season, however, only birds that have mated with each other can be kept in an aviary, as the males can become quite aggressive when they enter the breeding mood and stubbornly and aggressively chase away possible competitors. You should take this into account if you want to give homes to multiple animals. If necessary, it should be possible to separate the animals into pairs. Individual detention is to be rejected in any case.

^{Canaries need members of their own species to feel comfortable and stay healthy.}

There are various options for keeping canaries:

• A bird room where animals can move freely. They should have a “sleeping cage” available for eating, sleeping and resting. This form of breeding is recommended for almost all pet birds.

• If it is not possible to keep them in a bird room, it is necessary to provide a sufficiently large aviary. According to the TVT (Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare), this must be at least 150 cm wide, 60 cm deep and 100 cm high for one to three pairs. If kept in cages or aviaries, birds must be allowed to fly freely for several hours each day.

• It is possible to keep them outdoors all year round if the birds are provided with a frost-protected shelter (minimum dimensions 100 x 50 x 100 cm (W x D x H)) into which they can retreat at any time.

Of course, free flight is very important for birds. When flying free, be sure to avoid possible sources of danger such as electrical wires, poisonous plants, mirrors or fans, so that your birds do not get injured. If free flight in the room is not possible, the animals require an aviary with a free flight space of at least two square meters

The aviary equipment includes ladders, ropes and various possibilities for sitting and landing at different heights, for example natural branches of different diameters. The ideal is to fix them only on one side so that they bounce slightly when landing. A bathhouse is also a must. Hemp litter or beech wood chips are suitable as a substrate. There should also be several bowls for grain, sand, fresh food and water.

Canaries feel most comfortable at a temperature between 18 and 25 degrees and a relative humidity of 60%. Sudden temperature changes, drafts and direct sunlight on the aviary should be avoided. For some metabolic functions, animals need a UV lamp with UVA and UVB components when kept indoors, since window glass “blocks” most natural UV light. If fluorescent tubes are used for lighting, a ballast must be used to ensure that they do not flicker. Canaries see much better than humans and recognize flickering, which is very unpleasant for the animals. The same goes for computers and televisions.

Since canaries are active during the day, they should be given the opportunity to rest in the evening. For example, if the aviary is located in a room where you stay in the evening, you should ensure that it is adequately darkened. The brightness phase should be between 10 (minimum) and 14 hours (maximum) and should not be exceeded or lower. In completely dark rooms it is advisable to leave a dim light on to orient yourself.

employment

Canaries are agile, curious and intelligent birds that need to be kept adequately occupied. Below are some tips:

• Natural branches for gnawing and gnawing, preferably with leaves, flowers and buds. Untreated fruit trees, willows or hazelnuts are harmless.

• Wooden and cork toys from specialized retailers or made by you.

• Various natural materials such as hay, straw, grasses, cork

• Food plants such as callisia and catnip or «experimental foods» such as darikobs or foxtail millet

• Looking for treats hidden in the enclosure

• Swings, ladders, thick cotton ropes

• Possibility of climbing on different levels

Important: Be sure to stay away from accessories that violate animal welfare, such as mirrors, plastic birds, leashes, toys made of small plastic particles that can be swallowed, etc. These pose a great risk of your pets getting injured or developing behavioral problems.

^{Canaries love the bird bath to refresh and clean themselves.}

Nutrition

As a main food, we recommend a complete food mix for canaries that contains all the necessary nutrients. Since birds are sometimes a little fussy, it is advisable to add a multivitamin preparation to the drinking water and an additional one during moulting. The menu can be appropriately integrated with the daily intake of fruit and vegetables. Aromatic herbs such as chickweed or dandelion are also popular, as are food plants such as catnip or callisia. Millet and semi-ripe or germinated seeds may be offered from time to time. During moulting and/or breeding it is advisable to cover the increased protein needs with insects or egg-based food. To digest grain-based feed, animals always need access to sand. A sepia shell and limestone are used to provide minerals. Animals must always have fresh water available to drink. Purebred white canaries have a vitamin A metabolism disorder and therefore require continuous vitamin A supplementation to avoid becoming ill.

Health

Like all birds, it is advisable to observe them carefully every day to identify any diseases early. Are the eyes clear and shiny? Are the feathers smooth and healthy looking? Is stool and urine production normal? Is the bird eating? You can find out more about how to tell if your bird is sick here. Otherwise the general rule applies: healthy food, company of other birds, animal-friendly activities and sufficient exercise opportunities form the basis for a long and healthy life of birds. Most diseases can be traced back to poor animal husbandry and nutrition. An unhealthy diet and lack of exercise often result in obesity or metabolic disorders. The wrong perches, for example covered with sandpaper or plastic or all the same diameter, cause leg ulcers because the birds always cling to the same way. Lack of light can cause plumage problems, while too dry air can cause respiratory problems. Keeping animals alone is particularly fatal and is almost always accompanied by behavioral problems and illnesses.

Who are canaries suitable for?

Canaries are suitable for those who love observing agile, fun and sociable birds. Canaries generally do not become as docile as budgies or cockatiels, for example. They are more like observation animals. However, with a lot of patience and empathy, canaries can also overcome their shyness and be “tamed” to a certain extent. The animals’ small size should not overshadow their noisiness.

Daily animal care (feeding, health checks, cleaning) should take approximately 15-30 minutes. Weekly cleaning and disinfection of the aviary and its furnishings may take 1-2 hours.