| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | best. Tap water, if chlorinated, is not good for any bird. |
| Big time symphonists turn their attention to the sounds | | | | A proper diet for a canary consists of birdseed |
| of thunder, but a lyrical composer listens to bird sounds | | | | mixture, organic fruits and vegetable greens, spray |
| like that of canaries. I have a flutist friend who keeps | | | | millet, cuttlebone or mineral stone, and once in a while, |
| canaries in a spare room in his home. | | | | sprouts, fresh twigs, and hard-boiled egg yolk with |
| His canaries are called border canaries, the singing kind, | | | | low-fat cottage cheese. Pesticide sprayed greens, fruit |
| all yellow in color. It is only the males that sing with | | | | pits, and the skin of an avocado act like poisons for a |
| songs as memorable as stashed-away kisses. Not | | | | canary. |
| only that, my friend plays his music with his canaries, | | | | The eyes of a canary work independently of each |
| for they listen and imitate him and sometimes perch on | | | | other, and through the use of its eyes, a canary orients |
| his flute. | | | | itself to its environs. The vision of a canary draws |
| Canaries live about ten to fourteen years and can | | | | almost a full circle of 320 degrees. |
| reproduce twice a year. My flutist friend's canaries, | | | | Canaries also possess an acute hearing. The structure |
| now about twenty in number, descended from two | | | | of a canary's ear is akin to that of mammal, but |
| canaries, since just a few years back. | | | | without a flap. Otherwise, how else would the bird |
| He says their daily upkeep doesn't cost much and they | | | | imitate a flute? |
| are clean birds. Still, the most important thing a bird | | | | It is fun to watch canaries in their daily life. They preen |
| lover can do is to keep his canary cages or the room | | | | themselves, and out of friendship, each other. In |
| used as aviary sparkling clean. Canaries, as all birds, | | | | addition, the courting birds dance and feed each other. |
| are more susceptible to diseases in a dirty | | | | When the birds are relaxed and happy, they sit on one |
| environment. | | | | leg and may puff their plumage. |
| Direct exposure to sun, too much outside noise, | | | | When a canary sleeps, it partially buries its head in its |
| polluted air, sudden temperature changes, bad diet, lack | | | | back and fluffs up its feathers. Canaries sleep through |
| of exercise can make canaries seriously ill. Canaries | | | | the night and are awake at daytime, but a relaxed and |
| should never be exposed to damp and drafty | | | | non-threatened bird may take short naps during |
| conditions since they can develop asthma and | | | | daytime. |
| rheumatism. Should a canary become ill, the best bet is | | | | Male canaries may sing as they fly over what they |
| to consult a veterinarian. | | | | consider to be their territory. They also sing while |
| These birds are accident prone, also. Bookshelves, | | | | attracting the female. The female may sing too; |
| wastebaskets, couches and big upholstered armchairs | | | | although the female bird has the necessary organs for |
| can serve as death-traps. Canaries are known to fly | | | | singing, its voice is so soft that it is not heard. |
| into mirrors and windows and sustain concussions and | | | | When two canaries threaten each other, they raise |
| broken limbs, too. If a spare room is to be made into | | | | their beaks and flap their wings. In general, however, |
| an aviary, the furniture should consist of simple tables | | | | canaries in a colony live peacefully together. |
| without drawers and wooden chairs. | | | | All birds hate to be seized, especially because human |
| Canaries have a light skeleton as they can fly and dart | | | | fingers hurt their feathers. If a canary escapes from its |
| across a room, and they need large cages and space | | | | cage, it is better to cajole it back rather than to try |
| to fly. As most birds, they have a very high rate of | | | | grasping it. |
| metabolism that burns up energy during flight. | | | | Keeping a single male canary alone in a cage is not |
| What a canary eats is important for its health. The | | | | fair to the bird, no matter how good a care its owner |
| seeds have to be fresh and drinking water clean. | | | | might give him. A pair of canaries and a very large |
| Canaries drink the water they bathe in. So, the saucers | | | | cage is the least you can do, if you want canaries in |
| they bathe in should contain the same quality of water | | | | your life. |
| in their water bottles. Non-carbonated mineral water is | | | | |