Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Male canaries (Serinus canaria), long prized for their beautiful songs, may have unique learning abilities that explain their outstanding performances. Most birds acquire singing abilities by listening to others of their kind early in life…without appropriate role models, they fail to develop normal songs. Young canaries, however, seem able to switch [...]

See Part 1 of this article: Taming and Training Canaries and Other Finches, Part I
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
Last time we discussed some finch training basics…getting your pet to calm down when near people and out of its cage. Please see Part I of this article for further details.
Returning to the Cage
As mentioned in Part I [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
When we think of tame birds, it is most often the parrots and mynas that come to mind. Canaries and other finches, on the other hand, are largely thought of as pets to enjoy for their bright colors, active ways and cheerful songs. To a great extent, these perceptions hold true…but not [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
In their natural habitats, canaries and other birds learn their species’ songs by listening to the singing of their parents and neighboring birds.  The process starts when they are still in the nest, and, with most birds, ends once the adult song is mastered.
Learning From Other Species
Canaries, mockingbirds, starlings and some others [...]

Hello, Frank Indiviglio here.
With their calm dispositions, bright colors and cheerful songs, canaries seem extremely well suited to domestic life. Indeed, they are our most popular songbird…but the history of their entry into our lives is steeped in drama.
Canaries in the Wild
Wild canaries differ greatly from those we are accustomed to seeing, being clad in [...]