Canary
(Serinus canarius domesticus)

Native To: Azores and Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa
Adult Size: 6 inches, 20 grams
Reaches Maturity:  1-2 years   
Lifespan:  up to 10-15 years          

Characteristics:
Having been kept in captivity since the 15th century, this small elegant bird is one of the oldest avian pets. There are good reasons for the Canary’s enduring popularity with people: it’s attractive, relatively easy to keep and – in the case of males --- it possesses a beautiful singing voice. However, the Canary is not an interactive pet; it may not enjoy being handled, and it will not talk. Canaries have been bred to have a variety of feather colors, including red, brown, orange and white, as well as the familiar yellow.
 

Did You Know

  • A Canary has roughly 2000 feathers.

  • Male Canaries will feed their babies while the female hatches the next clutch of eggs. The male will also feed his mate while she incubates the eggs. The Canary has been enjoyed and valued as a pet for six centuries
     

 

Look Out For This:
Male Canaries sing to attract a mate, so if a male-female pair is kept together, the male will stop singing. Canaries will also become quiet during the summer molting season. Absent the introduction of a mate or the onset of molting season, if a male Canary suddenly stops singing, he should be taken to a veterinarian, since this can be a sign of illness. Also, a Canary molting outside out of season (summer) may be a health concern and the bird should be taken to a veterinarian. A possible cause may be that the bird is receiving too many hours of daylight or that temperatures are too warm.

 

The material below is a general guideline, and is not intended to serve as your sole sources of pet care information. Visit a veterinarian trained in caring for birds and consult a broad range of literature to ensure that your pet receives adequate care.

 

Things You Should Know About Canaries

The Basics:

Beautiful, hardy and relatively easy to keep, Canaries have long been one of the world’s most popular avian pets. Although they possess beautiful voices, they do not mimic human speech. Canaries that are available through the retail pet trade are domestically bred birds. Breeders have developed Canaries that exhibit a vivid array of feather colors.

Cage:

Unlike many other birds, Canaries do not need to spend time out of their cages. Preferring to avoid being handled by their human companions, they're happier remaining in their cages. Since they spend so much time in their cages, Canaries should be given more cage space than their small body size may seem to warrant. A minimum of 24” by 18” wide by 18” high is recommended for a Canary. Spacing between bars should be 3/8”.

CAUTION
In most cases, more space is more desirable for birds. However, when increasing the size of a Canary’s cage, the bird’s human companion must be careful to maintain a safe (narrow) space between the bars. The bars of a cage have to be narrow enough to prevent a bird from sticking his head in between. Bars that are spaced too far apart for the bird’s size can result in serious and even fatal injuries.

Positioning The Cage:

A Canary’s cage should be positioned where it can be seen during family activities. This not only gives people the chance to appreciate their avian pet, it also allows the Canary to enjoy the company of his human companions. However, the cage should also offer enough privacy to provide the Canary with a sense of security, so the cage should be positioned in an alcove or area that has a wall on one or two sides of the cage. As a good rule of thumb, no family member should be able to walk all the way around the cage. A Canary’s cage must be positioned away from drafts and direct sunlight. If there is a lot of night-time activity in the room that houses the cage, such as a TV going after 9 pm, the Canary should be provided with a small sleeping cage in another, quieter room. Another alternative is to have a cage on wheels, so it can be moved to a quiet area at night. It is critically important that the bird be provided with at least 10-12 hours of quiet undisturbed sleep time each night. The cage can be covered at night. This cover should be washed weekly, since it will accumulate feather dust.

Playthings:

Canaries do not play as much as other birds, but will still enjoy a few toys, including swings or bells. A primary form of entertainment and activity for Canaries is flight. Perches on opposite sides of the cage allow more room for flight space. Similarly, the middle of the cage should not be obstructed to prevent accidents; toys are best placed on or near the sides of the cage.

Perches:

A Canary needs to have a variety of perches made of different materials in her cage. The perches should have diameters ranging from 3/8” to ¾”. Perches serve many important purposes. In addition to providing the bird with an area for standing, they help keep his beak and nails trim. A perch should be placed in front of, but not above, food and water dishes.

Play Time Outside The Cage:

Canaries do not respond well to handling, and do not require time outside of their cage.

Grooming:

Consult veterinarian or literature about trimming nails.
Bathing: Bath time is fun time for canaries. They should be provided with a ¼” deep bowl of chlorine-free water for supervised bathing. Remove bath bowl when finished. Water must be lukewarm to room temperature. Avoid drafts. This should be provided to the bird at least twice a week.

Diet:

Pellets specially formulated for Canaries are the best base diet, along with a small amount of seeds. A Canary should be offered about one tablespoon of fruits, vegetables, and greens on a daily basis. Good fruit and vegetable choices include apples, oranges, bananas, pears, peaches, strawberries, green peppers, broccoli, collard greens and Swiss chard. Fruits and vegetables should be rinsed, dried and cut into appropriately sized pieces before being offered to this bird. Fresh water should always be available, and replaced as necessary. Provide additional calcium i.e. cuttlebone during egg laying. Many Canaries will bathe in their water bowls. A second water bowl or larger bowl specifically for baths is generally recommended to help ensure that clean chlorine-free water is available at all times. On average, Canaries typically consume about ½ teaspoon of water a day.
A Note About Water: All water given to birds for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be 100% free of chlorine and heavy metals. (Not all home water filtration systems remove 100% of the chlorine and heavy metals from tap water, so check your system's specifications before using it to filter water for your pet.) We recommend that you use unflavored bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.
 
Be Careful!
 Avocado pits, raw onions, salty snacks like chips or pretzels, chocolate, sugary treats like candy, alcohol, and rhubarb can be toxic to birds, so they should never be fed to an avian pet. Seeds in most fruits and vegetables, with the exception of melons and squashes, can also be toxic. So seeds should be removed from produce before it is offered to a pet bird.

Recommended Canary Supplies:

  • Appropriately sized cage

  • Variety of perches

  • Swing and bell toys

  • Toys, particularly a swing or bell

  • Food bowls

  • Water bowls

  • Food pellets

  • Seed mix for treats

  • Bird bath

  • Cuttlebone