Red factor canary
Encyclopedia
The red factor canary is a popular breed of canary
. It is named after its colourful plumage
, and is a 'color canary', bred for the novelty of its color rather than for song. It is kept by those who want a pet as well as those who enjoy showing.
It is an active bird, hardy and very easy to keep; however it is not easy to breed.
First bred in the 1930s, it is the only colour canary that has an element of red as part of its plumage. It was developed as a cross between another type of finch
, the now endangered Venezuelan Black Hooded Red (Siskin Spinus cocullatus), and the Yellow Canary
(Serinus canaria).
A well built bird, the fed factor canary is about 5½ inches (14 cm) in length. These canaries are bred for showing so therefore many versions of this canary exist today. They are divided into Melanin
s and the Lipochrome
s classes. These are further divided into frosts or non-frosts, which affects how bright their color appears, and then into hard and soft feathers.
Red ractor canaries are usually available at most pet stores, and can also be found through bird shows, bird clubs, breeders, and on the internet.
Domestic Canary
The Domestic Canary, often simply known as the canary, is a domesticated form of the wild Canary, a small songbird in the finch family originating from the Macaronesian Islands ....
. It is named after its colourful plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
, and is a 'color canary', bred for the novelty of its color rather than for song. It is kept by those who want a pet as well as those who enjoy showing.
It is an active bird, hardy and very easy to keep; however it is not easy to breed.
First bred in the 1930s, it is the only colour canary that has an element of red as part of its plumage. It was developed as a cross between another type of finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
, the now endangered Venezuelan Black Hooded Red (Siskin Spinus cocullatus), and the Yellow Canary
Yellow Canary
The Yellow Canary is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is a resident breeder in much of the western and central regions of southern Africa and has been introduced to Ascension and St Helena islands....
(Serinus canaria).
A well built bird, the fed factor canary is about 5½ inches (14 cm) in length. These canaries are bred for showing so therefore many versions of this canary exist today. They are divided into Melanin
Melanin
Melanin is a pigment that is ubiquitous in nature, being found in most organisms . In animals melanin pigments are derivatives of the amino acid tyrosine. The most common form of biological melanin is eumelanin, a brown-black polymer of dihydroxyindole carboxylic acids, and their reduced forms...
s and the Lipochrome
Lipochrome
Lipochrome is a form of pigment associated with amber and gold tones in human eyes and the eyes of other mammals.The term carotenoid is sometimes considered a synonym, but that term usually refers to specific molecules, while lipochrome refers to accumulations of varied molecules....
s classes. These are further divided into frosts or non-frosts, which affects how bright their color appears, and then into hard and soft feathers.
Red ractor canaries are usually available at most pet stores, and can also be found through bird shows, bird clubs, breeders, and on the internet.