Canaries vs. Finches

[Paddington]

As someone who has kept finches for several years how does it compare with keeping canaries? I am curious in case I ever branch out. are they fairly similar in care and requirements?

[debbie276]

Canaries are in the Finch family just a different personality. Care for both are basically the same.

[Sheather]

Canaries are usually less fearful.

[paul-inAZ]

Having recently branched out to add two pair of canaries I find that the general care is about the same.
Canaries are calmer and less fearful.
The only big difference is that my canaries enjoy and gobble down large amounts of leafy greens while Gouldians and societies more discretely pick at them.

And I do love the singing. Get some.

[lovezebs]

Paddington

Care is essentially the same.
You will find Canaries to be sweet and friendly in nature.
I would not recommend keeping two males in the same flight, most especially if your going to bring females into the picture (they will fight).

Diet is very similar, although I would throw in some extra Canary seed into your finch mix. They love veggies, greens, apples, and egg. They love to bath and swing and sing.

[dunker817]

My canaries are a lot like my cordon bleus and parrot finches: busy, busy, busy, little birds. The canaries are up in everything, lol. As far as food and water they eat the same as the finches. And have preference for Herman Bros. EM finch mix. They don't eat canary seed as don't my finches.

[Nipper06]

I am a new Canary owner. After having finches for 40+ years, I finally bought a canary last month. I am finding it an interesting bird!

My new canary, "Tweety", is an American Singer - it is a common variety in the U.S., which was originally developed in the 1930s by 8 women canary fanciers in Massachusetts, who crossed the German Roller and the English Border Fancy. See: http://www.upatsix.com/asc/about.htm.

In terms of behavior (vs. finches), my canary is very "domesticated" and not at all fearful. He started singing the day after I brought him home. He is also very observant. If I drop a hemp seed in his cage, he is "on it" in 2 seconds! And he likes hard-boiled egg so much that I had him grabbing it from my fingers, through the cage bars, in 1 day. And now I have him taking pieces of egg from my open palm, holding my hand in the cage. I hope to finger tame him eventually - without needing food - but if this is as far as we get, I'm OK with that.

One difference from finches, it that canaries seem to be more "OK" with being caged alone. In fact, 2 males may fight, But obviously, several canaries (5 or more) in a large cage or flight seems to work out, as long as there's no breeding. I have mine in his own cage but he is in the same room as my 2 Bourkes and 1 Budgie - so he's got birdy company - and they all seem very interested in each other!

Anyway, I am fascinated by this "new" bird (for me) and I am reading up on them and all their colors and breeds. Lots of interesting reading on canaries! Canaries seem to have fallen out of popularity in recent years but it seems like new American immigrants, especially from Latin America and the Middle East, are reviving the canary hobby here.

So, here's "Tweety"...


I really like this color too. It's called "Red Bronze" - it could be my next canary!

[LiverpoolLayers]

Canaries are more hardy than finches. They can survive freezing temperatures as they molt in Autumn and develop winter feathers. As people have already stated they are less fearful. In my aviary, when I enter the finches fly about erratically. The canaries will land on my shoulder and seed dishes as I replace them

[Eng.W0LF]

what i really like about canaries is their breeding nature , they prefer open nests unlike most finches so they are easier to observe , and when the hen is sitting on the eggs she stays no matter how much you disturb them , i usually have to touch her tail feathers many times before she decide to leave the nest and let me check it.
one thing i have to mention about canaries that needs special attention is their sensitivity to light , they are so sensitive to light that if you change the light hours immediately they may start molting and this will put them on stress and affect their general health condition, and believe me this can happen by mistake no matter how much you try to avoid it , so , using a timer to regulate the lighting is very useful.

[Animalzoo]

This is really interesting to me as I have been toying with the idea of canaries and likewise I'm a zebra and society owner plus I keep and breed budgies. But canaries have been that 'one' I've not been sure about.

I enquired once in a pet store and was told canaries poop a lot. Like..."A LOT" more than finches? Is this true?

Maybe, one day.....I'll have a Tweety or 2

[slwatson]

Nipper06

"Tweety" is very cute! I saw next to some canaries at the last bird mart I attended, and they were beautiful.

[Eng.W0LF]

I enquired once in a pet store and was told canaries poop a lot. Like..."A LOT" more than finches? Is this true?

yes they do

[paul-inAZ]

Sue:
re: "poop a lot"
Quite wrong. Canaries are the same or if anything less messy than finches.
They do scatter less seed than my finches so in that regard are neater.

[Spreckles]

Oh wow yawl have really sold them, now in addition to all my other wants i need a pair of these! Seems i am a pig for birds.

[Sally]

Like many of us, I had a canary when I was a child, but not since then. I am being tempted by all these comments! I have a friend who breeds (and judges) American Singers, so I know I could get a good one. I do love a good song!