Name: Tropical Wings Birds Shop
Price range: $

Canaries

The canary is the bird that built aviculture. For more than 500 years these small finches have been selectively bred for two things — voice and colour — producing what is now one of the most varied domestic bird species on Earth. Our canary collection carries the major show breeds and song strains, including the American Singer, Belgian Fancy, Yorkshire, Fife, Red Factor, Brimstone, and Black Headed varieties.

Song versus colour canaries

Song canaries — American Singer, German Roller, Spanish Timbrado — are bred for the structure, duration, and musicality of the male’s song. If you want a canary that fills a room with melody, choose from this group. Colour canaries are bred for plumage: Red Factor canaries owe their colour to decades of selective breeding with Venezuelan Black-hooded red siskins; Lizard canaries carry the oldest documented colour pattern in aviculture; Yorkshires and Belgians are show type breeds bred for body shape.

Care basics

Canaries are solitary males by preference — two males together will fight. A hen-and-cock pair is for breeders only. Singles are happiest in a roomy cage with horizontal bars for climbing, a quality finch seed mix, fresh greens daily, and cuttlefish for calcium. Browse our bird cages for suitable housing, or see breeding supplies if you’re starting a breeding program.