cnanaries

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Canaries

Len Lalicata

This article is reprinted with the permission of Bird Crazy

The definition of a Canary is a "yellow songbird of the Finch family." In actuality, a wild canary is either green or brownish in color. There are many types of canaries in a wide variety of colors. Red, white and bronze are some of the common colors. There are also several different species of the canary, most of which have been created by man through breeding, mutation or genetic manipulation. The most popular canary is the American Singer. It is the cross of two different species of canaries and has developed one of the most beautiful voices. Only the male canaries sing, females do not. Reasons for this might be that in the wild the male canary sings to attract a mate or because the male is the more dominant bird.

A canary's normal life span is between 8 - 10 years. However, many of the species re now living 10+ years. Their molting or shedding season is in the late summer. During this time, the males stop singing and the females stop breeding. If you have color additives such as, carotene, this is the time to feed it to them.

Canary breeding season is a great time for kids. They will nest in an open cup and they won't budge from the nest. They also breed very readily in captivity. The average incubation period is only 14 days. Babies will leave the nest by 3 weeks of age. At this time, the babies look very underdeveloped. The mother may also leave them at this time. In canary life, the father does all the raising of the young when the babies leave the nest, while the mother will sit on another clutch of eggs. If the father is not present, the mother will step in and do the raising of the babies.

Feeding a Canary is simple. They can eat all kinds of fruits and vegetables except avocado. They also need grains just like you and I. They should eat a grain specifically for canaries. Tropixs brand is a finer grain that you can pick up at Bird Crazy in clairemont. Cuttlebone and grit should always be provided and is essential to their diet. For babies, there is an egg-food mixture that you can soak in water that is high in protein.

The two biggest problems in raising canaries are, Air Sac Mites and Mosquitoes. Air Sac Mites are a parasite that attaches itself inside the air sac of the canary. It is the equivalent to emphysema in humans. The likelihood that your canary has this is about 99%; this is because it is passed on by other birds feeding them. The good thing is that Ivomec (Ivermectin) easily treats the birds with this condition. If a bird has had the mites for a period of time, it will develop a clicking sound. Try clicking your thumb nail and middle finger nail together. This is the sound you will hear if you suspect that your bird has the parasite. But first, you must really chase him around and exhaust the bird. In other words, get him "huffing and puffing."

A canary absolutely cannot live outdoors due to mosquitoes. If you think we live in a mosquito free environment - think again! One bite from a mosquito will cause a virus. If a baby is bitten, it will usually die. For the adult, they will become ill for about a week. Now they become a carrier for the virus and can transmit it to other birds through droppings. The males will stop singing and both female and male will become sterile. If for some reason a female does produce a clutch of eggs, the babies will tend to hatch and that die. When a bird is diagnosed with Canary Pox, it should be put to sleep because it can not only transmit the disease to canaries but to other birds as well.

Males canaries usually sell between $60 to $100 dollars depending on the type you buy. Since females don't sing, they will sell for half that amount. Some of the types available are Norwich, Borders, Lizards, Yorkshires, Spanish Timbradas, German Rollers, Fife, and of course, the American Singer. One of the most unusual types sold today is the Parisian Frill. The Parisian Frill gets its feathers that tend to grow out curving up, like old-fashioned ladies feather hat.

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