The Canary

(Serinus canaria domesticus)

 Despite its small size, the Fife Fancy Canary is very lively and a great choice for the beginner. This delightful little bird is quite hardy and very easy to keep. They come in all colours, and the male has a wonderful pleasant song.

These birds are hardy and healthy if provided with a good environment and a good diet. Avoid an environment that is wet, cool, and drafty.

 Canaries do not require toys, mirrors or any other form of entertainment, a swing is all they need to keep themselves occupied.

Most of the time, canaries are simply enjoyed for their beauty and singing. However, some canaries are allowed out of their cage to perch or are show canaries and therefore require taming or training.

Provide a cage with small perches of different size for foot exercise. Have at least 1 perch set high in the cage for the canary to roost (sleep).

Mixed canary seed and water refreshed daily. Greens are also enjoyed and can be offered daily along with a little calcium in the form of a cuttlebone.

They do like to bath, so should be offered a bird bath. It is essential that your birds have some grit; this can be crushed stone or shell grit. The grit is used by the Canary in the gut as part of the digestion. Cage cleaning and toe nail trimming is about all the maintenance canaries need.

What sex is my Canary; Boy or Girl.

It is very difficult to tell the gender of a canary at first glance and many an expert has come to grief by getting it wrong. During the moult and winter the cock bird sings less and sometimes not at all. The certain way to tell a Hen Canary is if it lays an egg, then there is no doubt. There is no certain way to say a male is a male, however if the Fife Canary sings consistently you have a 99% chance of being a male.

Male canaries should be kept in a cage by themselves to ensure quality singing. Males can be territorial and pairing up with two male canaries in a cage can cause fights.

 In a clean and well cared for environment a Fife Canary can live to ten years.