Canaries 101

Name: Canary

Personality: Canaries are solitary and somewhat aloof. They generally do not bond with their humans.

Grooming: Canaries will groom themselves; just put a bird bath in the cage once a week or so, says asongintheair.com. You'll still need to clip their nails occasionally, and, of course, you must keep the cage clean and sanitary.

Common Health Issues: Canaries are generally healthy, though they are prone to some human illnesses. Cold sores, in particular, can be dangerous, according to asongintheair.com. If your canary seems listless, his feathers seem unusually fluffed, his eyes aren't clear and bright, or his droppings appear abnormal, CanaryAdvisor.com says you should see a veterinarian.

Training Tips: Usually, canaries are kept in cages and enjoyed for their beauty and song. It might be possible to hand-train a canary if you receive it when it's very young, according to Animal-World.

Best For: Canaries are one of the easiest birds to have. They don't take up a great deal of room and don't require interaction, so they're fine being home alone if you're away much of the day (though you might want to leave the radio or TV on for entertainment).

What Canary Owners Say: JP from Callicoon Center, N.Y. tells Paw Nation, "I guess what I loved most was the male singing. I also like the variation in plumage. Most people think of canaries as being yellow but there are differences in color as well as looks. My canary (a crested) looked like he was wearing a bad imitation wig that looked like one of the guys from the Three Stooges. Would I have them again if I had the time to care for them? You bet!"

Tags: birds, canaries, canary, pet birds, pet canary, PetBirds, PetCanary, song birds, SongBirds