Type Canaries
By John Bernacki
Photograph by Dale R. Gilkinson

Canaries can be classified into three separate categories: type, color-bred and song. As the names indicate, color-bred canaries are bred to attain specific colorations and song canaries for their singing abilities. And while some breeders were trying to achieve excellence in their birds' song style or coloration, others were attempting to change the body or "type" configurations to their own specifications. It is extremely interesting to look at the appearance and characteristics of these different types.

Possibly the most popular type canary among the general population is the Gloster. Bred for their crests, the Gloster is sometimes affectionately referred to as the "bird with the Beatles haircut." It is a smaller, rounder bird, and an excellent breeder ideally suited for the beginner. It also has a pleasant song. Glosters, named for their place of origin in England, are available in both crested and non-crested forms, as one must be mated to the other to obtain crests of good quality. Half of the offspring produced are crested (called coronas) and half are not (consorts). This is true for all crested varieties such as the Norwich, Columbus fancy, Belgian fancy and Hartz.

Type birds are available in all naturally evolved colors -- yellow, white, green and variegated. With only a few exceptions, they cannot have any red in their background nor can they be color fed to be shown in bird shows. One of the oldest breeds, the lizard canary, is bred for the spangled effect of its feathers. The spangling effect is best seen in its first year and diminishes somewhat after that. The lizard canary is allowed to be color fed, as are the Yorkshire and Stafford types. The Stafford is a fairly recent arrival on the canary scene. Although it is bred and shown to all classifications of red ground lipochrome and melanin canaries, it is exhibited as a type canary in both crested and non-crested forms. The Yorkshire is one of the largest canaries. Note that many of the breeds are named after their place of origin, most coming from England and other European countries.

I believe the Border canary is probably the most popular type canary to be exhibited. It is larger than most type canaries and bred for roundness of head and body. It has a loud, choppy song. Another popular type canary is the fife fancy, sometimes called a miniature Border in that it is similar to the Border canary in configuration but much smaller. It is also recommended for the beginner. Other popular type canaries are the Norwich and Hartz. The Norwich is another large bird, sometimes called a feather pillow because of the bulk of its feathering. The Hartz often is represented as a common canary but is also bred to specific standards. It is a good singer and easy to take care of.

There are two very interesting type varieties that are worth mentioning. The first is the frill canary, which has feathers coming out and curling back. I enjoy the Parisian frill, which has a full complement of feathers "frilled" out over most of its body. The second variety consists of the Belgian fancy and the Scot fancy. The Belgian is a long, thin and snaky bird, which is bred and trained to stand hunched over in its perched position. The Scot fancy, according to the judging standard, is "long and tapering and curved in the form of a half circle, convex above and concave below." The southern frill canary is essentially a combination of a Belgian fancy and a frill; that is, it is hunched over and possesses the frill featheration.

Lastly, there is the Lancashire, which is the largest canary and the most difficult to obtain. A group of breeders has formed "The Old Varieties Association," whose purpose is to encourage the breeding of this and other type varieties that have lost their popularity.

To see these birds, I generally suggest attending a bird show, where most if not all of these varieties can be viewed. If you are interested in attending a show near you, write to me in care of this magazine or e-mail me directly for show dates and locations.

John Bernacki began breeding canaries in 1970. He can be contacted by writing care of: Bird Times, 7-L Dundas Circle, Greensboro, NC 27407, or by e-mail at: jbernack1@rochester.rr.com.