Canaries

by Alexander Wetmore

The male canary is ordinarily a model husband and parent, giving no trouble, but if he should annoy the female during incubation or attempt to injure the young he should be removed at once. It is the natural instinct of an incubating bird to conceal itself as much as possible, and though canaries are tame, this tendency should be recognized and respected. This does not mean that they are to be neglected. Each breeding cage should be equipped with a sand tray which should be cleaned at least every other day. In no other way can it be hoped to rear numbers of birds successfully. Except for this necessary care and the provision of food, water, and bathing facilities, the birds should be bothered as little as possible.

Sometimes trouble is caused by inability of the young to free themselves from the shell or egg membrane, a condition for which there is usually no remedy at the time. With succeeding settings the difficulty may be obviated by sprinkling the eggs slightly with water each evening. Some breeders when the young canaries are 8 days old place them in a new nest, a practice that may be necessary when the old nest is infested with parasites. In such instances a little insect powder should be sprinkled over the body before the young birds are placed in their new quarters.

The young birds leave the nest when 20 to 30 days old. They may be left with the parents as long as they are fed and should never be removed entirely until it is found that they are able to crack the seeds upon which they must feed. It is advisable to continue the use of egg food for a time and gradually to decrease the amount given to get the birds accustomed to a diet of seed alone.

Canaries often rear two or three broods a season and the female may be ready to breed again when the young are three weeks old. It is only necessary to provide a second nest and nesting material and let her proceed. The care of the young will then devolve on the male. Nesting material should be provided at once or the female may pluck the feathers from her growing young. If this can not be stopped the young should be placed in a small nursery cage suspended from the side of the breeding cage in a manner that will allow feeding between the wires. When the young are finally removed they must not be placed with birds older and stronger for a time. They should be watched carefully the first day, and if any one does not feed it must be returned to the parents at once. Though most of the losses among canaries come at this time, with care in food and cleanliness there should be little trouble.

SEX AND AGE.

To determine sex and age in living canaries is difficult and is to be attempted only by one who has had long experience as a canary fancier. The external characters denoting sex are not easily described. In nearly all cases a male may be recognized by his proficiency as a songster, but occasionally female birds also possess a clear, full song. When in breeding condition the sex may be determined readily by examining the vent. In males it is protuberant, while in females it does not project below the level of the abdomen. By daily observation the canary breeder is generally able to distinguish the sexes through slight differences in carriage and mannerisms not apparent to one not familiar with them.

In judging age the feet offer the only characters easily seen, but even these can not always be relied upon. Birds a year old or less usually have the skin and scales covering the feet and tarsi smooth and of fine texture. In older birds they appear coarser and roughened. Very old birds usually have had the claws trimmed until they appear blunt or rounded rather than sharp and pointed (see p. [19]).

Canaries have lived many years when cared for regularly. Dr. C. W. Richmond, Associate Curator of Birds in the United States National Museum, relates that two birds, hatched in the same brood and kept entirely separated after they left the nest, lived 18 years, dying within a few weeks of each other. Another case is on record in which a canary was known to be at least 34 years old when it died, and even this advanced age may have been exceeded. Usually with advancing years birds molt irregularly or lose part of the feathers entirely. Often their eyesight is impaired. It is said that canaries that have not been paired live much longer than those allowed to breed.

VERMIN.

Canaries are affected by two forms of external parasites. The larger of these, a bird louse[2] known usually as the gray louse, is an insect with a slender, elongate body and a large head armed with strong jaws. This pest feeds upon the feather structure of the bird’s outer covering, and though it does not suck the blood of its host, its sharp claws irritate the skin and cause discomfort to the bird. The eggs of the gray louse are attached to the feathers by a gum and are not easily removed. The young insects resemble the adults and in a few weeks after hatching are fully grown. They are best combated by blowing insect powder (pyrethrum) into the plumage of the affected bird with a small bellows or blower. This treatment should be repeated two or three times at intervals of a week to insure the destruction of any young lice hatching in the meantime.