FINCHforum

There has been quite a lot of posts recently (mine included) with regard to singing finches/favourite songsters etc.

A recent post I read today stated that there green singer sang `differently` to those on you tube. I too had one like this that very unfortunately died prematurely.

If you listen to the following link on you tube at about 1.47 you will hear quite clear canary like warbles and trills from a Green Singer that i found whilst searching You Tube this morning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HaUaKnI ... re=channel

As stated in another post I feel the majority of Green Singers underperform because of lack of tutoring. But it seems that they too have the brain plasticity of there better known cousin (domestic canary) and can be tutored to learn possibly just about any other finch song (there was also a canary / green singer hybrid trained for goldfinch posted recently). The bird in the link clearly has been influenced by a Canary (possibly like mine had) and the result is (to my ear) an enhanced song with more structure. The owner has another which sings a song like no other singer I have heard (at point 2.00).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hli6vsE9 ... re=channel

I do prefer the bird in the first link as have always liked the canary type warble but it has always sounded a little harsh/ metallic and too loud . The Green Singer in my opinion (humble opinion) is a much sweeter pitched bird, certainly a better looking bird, so much more active and altogether more delicate in appearance with a lovelly Saffron colour (in well conditioned individuals).

With the right training these little wonders could replicate the canary song with a sweeter voice!

The trained birds would then pass the new song onto the next generation and a strain of superior Green Singers could be propogated.

In such a case I could think of no other small finch that would fit the bill for all round attractiveness and desirability!

Thanks for sharing Ian. They have such beautiful songs. Now if mine would just finish their molt and start singing, I would be such the happy camper.

Ian,

I remember years ago when i was a girl my mother would take her canaries, put them in a room, partially cover the cage and play them recording on the record player. She did this daily and for 30 minutes at a time. We all used to take turns quietly going into the room to restart the record (she place it and covered the cages so they could not see us. She did this with each species of canary she had for weeks until they sang.

New or young canaries had their cages placed in between the older already educated to sing birds. The house was just filled with song.

Since I am debating getting Green singers in the next few months, possibly early summer would it be best to get a good recording and do the same with them so the male will sing? What do you recommend with a single pair? I may consider 2 pairs. (separate cages of course) I also have other finches, is it best while they learn or mature to keep them in a separate room so they do not pick up the sounds of the other finches?

Wow mine sing nothing like that! I get a "wild" canary bird sound. Those two sound more like domestic canaries. Amazing that they copy cat like that!

Thanks for posting this. Enlightening.

Hi Cindy,

I dont think the other finches would be a problem unless they sing? There natural predisposition to long structered songs would make them pick up the canary trills rather than the other background chirps. However do be aware that a fully matured bird will not be able to learn a new song as well as a young bird can (older birds have successfully incorporated new elements into there songs however after hearing them)

I would always go for two pairs so that the males have some competition to sing against.

Thank you Ian. Again you have been very helpful. If I do decide on Green singers, most likey it will be two pairs for sure.

Thanks Ian. My bird sounds more like the one in the first video but it also has a couple of different sounds it makes. I like both birds in the video but I think the second one has sounds of other birds incorporated in its song, which is nice. In the last quarter of the video it has a sound that you'd hear from Mocking birds - a bird with a very beautiful and calming song . I too prefer the song of the GS finch to the Canary. It is sweeter and more wild and different. I've been listening to Canaries since I was a child and I want something different.

I wish there were a house bird that could copy the songs of Mocking birds and Nightingales. Yeah I know, Mocking birds themselves copy songs of other birds they hear.

If Canary type birds (like the Green Singer) are isolated with the nightingales or mockingbirds (or there recordings ) from an early age they will mimic them.

I thought that perhaps the first bird in the video had been been influenced this way by a domestic Canary. But I was doing some gardening today and my birds were in full song and I could hear this canary like trilling coming from them in the birdroom so perhaps they do trill like this as part of there natural song too (I have read that they are described as singing in this way). Will record mine at some time when I get my cameras and mics sorted out and will be able to analyze them more closely.

Well, they (GS and Canaries) are related after all as far as I know. But the sound I was hearing from one of the birds in the clip was like that I used to hear from Mocking birds.