Canary

What Are Canaries?

Canaries are originally native to the Canary Islands and other parts of Macaronesia, and while wild canaries are still found throughout these islands, most canaries commonly seen now are bred in captivity. While wild canaries often sport yellow and green plumage, canaries bred as pets come in a wide variety of bright colors like orange, red and yellow. Unlike African Greys and Parakeets, canaries are not known for talking, but are skilled at singing and mimicking sounds they hear in their environment. Canaries have been a favorite pet for bird owners for centuries, and while parrots have somewhat superseded them in popularity, they are still a great choice.

What Makes Canaries a Good Pet?

Canaries make for excellent beginner birds, known for their pleasant demeanors and melodious singing abilities. Their small size and low cost means they can fit well in just about any home and require much less of an initial investment than many other birds do. Canaries are warm and friendly birds, and while they love socialization, they have no problems entertaining themselves when their owners are not at home.

Canaries are perhaps best known for their vocal abilities, and for good reason – many canaries, like song canaries, are bred specifically for singing. There are canary song competitions worldwide that give owners the chance to show off their bird’s talents, and many canaries are often trained to perform signature songs.

How Do You Care for Canaries?

Because of their small stature, canaries often have difficulty in environments that are either very cold or very warm – they are most comfortable at room temperature or in spaces that stay between 65°F and 80°F. Keeping your canary’s cage against a wall and away from drafts can be a good way to make sure they stay happy and healthy.
While canaries do very well if housed alone, care should be taken if you are looking to house them with other birds, especially if you intend for two male canaries to share a space – this can often lead to conflict between them.

Though small, canaries have big personalities and love to entertain and socialize with their owners. If you are looking for a bird to train to sing, look no further than these tiny songbirds!

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