American Singer Canaries
- Canary Information: General Care & Housing
- Canary Breeding
- Sexing Canaries
- Canary Species
- Guidelines for Buying Your Canary
- Canary Foods
- Canary Diseases
- Canary Books
The outgoing and popular American Singer Canary is a type of song canary developed in the United States to enhance the freedom, variety, and melodiousness of its song. It's a cross between the Border canary (1/3) and the German Roller canary (2/3) -- enjoying the best traits of both of these traids, specifically the musical song of the roller and the pleasing look of the canary. Its song is louder than the Roller's -- but softer than the Border Canary's. Recent breeding successes have yielded songsters with remarkable variety, and melodiousness.
The combination of quality of song and good looks has caused the American Singer canary the become one of the most popular - if not the most - canaries in the United States.
Buying An American Singer Canary:
1. Research the breeds you are interested in and identify your preferred breed, approximate cost and care requirements.
2. Purchase your canary from reputable breeders - giving preference to those who exhibit their birds, as exhibitors focus on breeding quality birds and maintain their stock in stellar condition, as is necessary for those wishing to be successful in their endeavors. Once you identify a good source, be patient. If no birds are available, ask to be placed on the waiting list. This is far more preferable to buying inferior, or even sick, birds from another source.
3. Buy young breeding stock BEFORE they have gone through their baby molt. There are always breeders eager to sell young, unsexed birds cheaply. Most of the time these “unsexed” birds have in fact been sexed - as hens! By buying young birds that have still their immature feathering you have a better chance of getting a male - unless you purchase a proven male, of course.
4. Inquire about their parents' backgrounds. If song is important, listen to the father - to get an idea of what sound you can expect from a male canary.
5. Don't buy birds that are going through the moult (changing feathers). Moulting is a very stressful phase and changing homes at the same time may be detrimental to its health.
6. Expect to pay cash. Many breeders have been burned in the past and don't want to have to deal with bad checks, and - therefore - won't accept them. Very few are set up to accept credit cards.
If you would like to add to or correct any of the above information, or would like to share with web visitors your own experiences, please e-mail the webmaster.
Photo contributions are welcome!
