The Breeding of Canaries 



By Chas. B. Davenport. 

 Director Carnegie Experiment Station, Cold Springs Harbor, L. I. 



In other countries particularly in Germany and England the 

 breeding of canaries is a wide spread avocation. In certain towns 

 of Germany, especially around the Harz Mountains, nearly every 

 family rears each year a number of canaries. The neighbors 

 have formed a canary society and meet frequently to discuss 

 individual birds and the proper sort of matings to secure im- 

 proved offspring. Each family will subscribe to a paper that is 

 concerned with canary interests. In England there are two such 

 papers which comprise from 32 to 64 large pages, are published 

 weekly and are sold for a penny. It is surprising and very un- 

 fortunate that in this country so little interest is paid to the fas- 

 cinating art of breeding canaries. However, in Greater New 

 York there are two canary societies and in other places canary 

 societies have been organized with a more or less fleeting exis- 

 tence; but there is no paper in the United States devoted ex- 

 clusively to canary interests and exhibitions devoted exclusively 

 to canaries are uncommon, although one or two are held annually 

 in Greater New York and canaries are often exhibited at poultry 

 shows. 



Canaries are bred with different aims and, in consequence, 

 various breeds have been established. In Germany, the primary 

 interest is in song and most of the organized breeders in this coun- 

 try, who are prevailingly Germans, are engaged in breeding song 

 birds. These are commonly called the Harz Mountain canaries 

 and may be of any color, — green, yellow or mottled. In Eng- 

 land, the fanciers pay more attention to form. Certain breeders 

 specialize on the crest, others on the size of the bird, others work 

 with the cinnamon (which is a diluted green) and others develop 

 along the line that the Belgians have made almost their own, 

 namely that of a slender, long legged bird, the so-called "Scotch 

 Fancy" or "Belgian." More rarely other types are exhibited, 

 such as canaries with frizzled feathers, those with feathers that 

 have light margins (called "lizards"), albinos and so on. 



Canaries are easily reared in cages kept in rooms that are 

 warmed during the winter time in places where they are not sub- 

 ject to cross drafts. It is necessary that they should not be kept 

 too warm nor deprived of fresh air. Water and seed is to be 

 kept constantly before them and the cages cleaned at least once 

 a week. A weekly bath should be provided. The standard food 



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