American Singer Canary

Angela Vuckovic
by Angela Vuckovic
fast facts

About American Singer Canary

Size
up to 5.5 inches
Lifespan
10-15 years
Bird Species
Canary
Colors
Yellow, Variety of colors
Sounds
Melodious singing sounds
Interaction
Social
Comparable Breeds
Border Fancy Canary, German Roller Canary
American Singer Canary General Info


The American Singer Canary was born as a distinctive canary breed in the 1930’s, as a result of a collective desire of the breeders to create a new bird that would captivate with both its song and its looks. Careful and patient combining of two unique canary breeds, the Border Canary and the German Roller Canary, resulted in a one of a kind blend and, some would say, a perfected breed of canary. The showy singing bird quickly became a part of many American pre-war households, captivating with their looks and a pleasing, distinctive song. Although American Singer Canaries of both sexes make great pets, only male canaries sing.


The American Singer Canary represents the best of the species – beautiful looks and beautiful song.


Native Region/Natural Habitat


Just like their name suggests, these canaries are widespread in their original birthplace – the North American continent. Since they have been introduced as a breed fairly recently, their habitat remained the same, but as they slowly became widespread throughout the Americas, they became one of the most popular and loved canary breeds today.


Even so, their availability remained almost exclusive to the United States, where these canaries are easy to acquire through specialized breeders, pet stores or the internet, as they remain one of the more popular pet choices.


Overall Description

One of the distinctive features of the American Singer Canary is proudly presented in its captivating looks and its varied, distinguishing song, both of which are the bird’s crowning features. Like most canaries and finches alike, the American Singer retains most of the established traits common to the species. Even though they are small and compact like most finches, they still reach a size up to 15 cm in length, or approximately 5.5 inches.


Speech and Sounds


As a result of a breeder’s desire, the American Singer Canary gained the very best aspects of its two parental breeds. While one aspect is centered on looks, the other is all about its incredible sweet-toned song. These canaries develop their song around four weeks of age, but most of the singing is reserved for the males who proud themselves on the fullness and intricacy of their song. With a variety of fluctuating tones that are never too loud or unpleasant, the American Singer develops a plethora of patterns in their singing for which they are loved and prized.


Colors

Apart from its lovely song, American Singer Canary is best known for its showy looks and vibrant colors. Most birds develop a plume of light tones, like yellow, white, orange, green or blue, with occasional subtle patterns or gradient variations. Still, yellow and light orange birds remain the most prominent and popular variant, as the traditional appearance seems to still hold the most charm for the bird fanciers.


Boasting a beautiful color spectrum, American Singer Canaries are gorgeous little birds that make excellent pets.


Care and Feeding


A trait that makes these canaries a popular pet choice is their robust nature and inherent hardiness and strength. A popular choice for beginner owners, these lovely birds are quite easy to take care of.


Like most singing birds, these canaries love a bit of room, which is why a spacious cage or an aviary is a perfect choice. Cage furnishings can be sparse as they don’t require toys for entertainment. A simple swing where they could perch and grace you with their song will be more than enough for the American Singer Canary.


Their food is typical for all canaries and is easy to acquire through most pet stores. This includes the usual canary seeds mixture as well as oilseed rape. An occasional cuttlebone is a good option for a boost of essential vitamins and calcium. Take care to minimize strong drafts and avoid overly cool environments when choosing a place for their cage. With proper care provided, American Singer canary will reward you with an absolute minimum of issues: this is one of the healthiest and most prolific canary breeds.


Health and Common Conditions


As long as you provide them with enough room, daily light, and basic mild conditions, your canaries will be happy and healthy, showing no serious conditions or ailments. Avoiding wet and cold nooks will work to your advantage, as well as meeting their basic needs: proper care will ensure your American Singer Canary stays strong and healthy throughout their lifetime.


These beautiful canaries are suitable for first-time owners.


Personality & Behavior


Sweet-natured and social, American Singer Canaries fare well in cage environment, particularly when they have company. However, as they can be a bit timid, it best not to keep them with feistier birds, such as members of the hookbill family.


If you have a male American Singer Canary, it’s recommended to keep them in a cage alone or with female birds only, as they can get territorial and aggressive otherwise.


Photo credit: xpixel/Shutterstock; Eric Isselee/Shutterstock; Jearu/Shutterstock

Angela Vuckovic
Angela Vuckovic

A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.

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