Birds Guide

Canary
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae   Genus: Serinus   Species: S. canaria
Binomial name
Serinus canaria (Linnaeus, 1758)

The Canary (Serinus canaria) sometimes called the Island Canary, Wild Canary or Atlantic Canary is a small songbird which is a member of the finch family.

This bird is native to Madeira, Azores and the Canary Islands. The bird was named after the Canary Islands, not the other way around; "Canary" is derived from the Latin canaria, "of the dogs", referring to the numerous wild dogs that inhabited the islands.

Its habitat is semi-open areas such as orchards and copses, where it nests in bushes or trees.

The wild bird is 4 to 6 in. long, yellow-green, with streaking on its back. It is larger, longer and less contrasted than its relative the Serin, and has more grey and brown in its plumage.

The song is a silvery twittering like the Goldfinch.

This species is often kept as a pet: see Domestic Canary for details.

References

• Clement, Harris and Davis, Finches and Sparrows ISBN 0-7136-8017-2

External links

• Madeira birds - Canary
• Sexy songs induce larger Canary eggs
• Canary videos on the Internet Bird Collection
• Gloster Canary