Border canary
The border canary was developed on both sides of the English-Scottish border in the nineteenth century and standardised in 1890 under the name Border Fancy.
Its old nickname was the Wee Gem — it was deliberately kept small when other fancy breeds were being bred larger.
It is a neat, well-proportioned canary of about fourteen centimetres with a rounded head and close-fitting plumage, bred principally for type rather than song, and shown in a wide range of colours. It nonetheless sings pleasantly. Borders are hardy, active birds and remain one of the most popular canary breeds in Britain.
- Origin
- Anglo-Scottish borders, standardised 1890
- Size
- About 14 cm
- Lifespan
- 9–10 years
- Diet
- Canary seed mix or pellets, greens, egg food in the breeding season
- Temperament
- Active and hardy; a bird to watch rather than handle
- Noise
- Pleasant song from cocks only
Related: American singer canary
2 border canary photos, newest first
Living with a border canary
Give a long flight cage rather than a tall one — canaries need horizontal space.
Colour-fed varieties need the appropriate supplement during the moult if colour is to be maintained; plain-fed birds simply moult to their natural shade.
The annual moult takes several weeks, during which cocks stop singing and the bird needs extra protein and quiet. This is normal, not illness.
Offer a shallow bath dish regularly. Watch for air-sac mite, which causes clicking and open-mouthed breathing, and keep them away from draughts, non-stick fumes and aerosols.
General guidance, not veterinary advice. Individual birds vary, and anything about a specific animal is a question for a vet who has seen it.
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