Part 5

The canary breeder usually specializes in type, color, or song. It is not unusual for a breeder to produce a hundred canaries for every worthwhile bird retained for further breeding. The remaining birds are mostly sold to pet stores. Hence, in the chopper classification there appear all colors, shapes, and sizes, and this green bird obviously has inherited much Border Fancy Blood. PLATE 4

VARIEGATED CHOPPER CANARY

In canaries, marked birds are more usual than birds of solid colors, and are known among breeders as variegated birds. The variegated, with irregular or even markings, often provides the individualism that appeals to a prospective bird owner who buys a canary as a gift. Evenly balanced markings that are exactly repeated on each side of the bird are fairly rare. PLATE 5

CINNAMON CHOPPER CANARY

The rich yellow-brown cinnamon coloring is an important variation in canaries. Being most attractive in itself, in addition, it is the basis for the delightful fawn coloring. The cinnamon pictured here has a well formed body, just a bit thick in the neck. Pencilling in a cinnamon is a deeper shade of the same yellow-brown body color, and similarly, the ends of the flight feathers can be an even deeper yellow-brown shade. PLATE 6

BLUE CHOPPER CANARY

"Blue" refers to slate or smoky gray coloring. The body conformation of this blue canary shows unmistakable Border Fancy Canary ancestry. In many blues the pencilling over the back is less distinct than in this specimen, and often there is considerable marking or variegation. PLATE 7

WHITE CHOPPER CANARY

In a white canary the white should be as pure as possible. The feathering of the canary illustrated is very good and the body conformation is pleasing. Some whites show faint colorings which are inherited and are natural to whites from crossing yellow and white canaries. Pure whites are rare and very valuable. PLATE 8

FAWN CHOPPER CANARY

In the fawn, the yellow of the yellow-brown cinnamon coloring is absent, leaving a rich brown background. This delightful mutation is now present in type birds and rollers. PLATE 9

CLEAR CAP GOLD LIZARD CANARY

The distinctive Lizard Canaries, silver cap and gold cap, are regaining some of their previous popularity. The Gold Lizard shown here shows the lizard markings across the back and shoulders more attractively than does our Silver Lizard. These two birds were imported, as were others used for these reproductions. They have exceptionally good lizard markings and size. PLATE 10

CLEAR CAP SILVER LIZARD CANARY

The Silver Lizard Canary shown here has good size and excellent feathering and markings. Lizard Canaries offer the fancier an opportunity to show birds of much interest to the casual viewer. PLATE 11

YELLOW BORDER FANCY CANARY

The Border Fancy Canary has outstanding beauty and delicacy of form. The Yellow Border Fancy Canary is the ideal sought by perhaps nineteen out of twenty Border breeders. PLATE 12

YELLOW-GREEN BORDER FANCY CANARY

The green in this bird is an excellent foil for the almost black pencilling which appears on the shoulder, back, and flank. The feathering is well depicted. The green color should be close to that of the upperside of a holly leaf. These heavily colored green birds are the pride and joy of many canary fanciers, and the development of an ideal green is a real challenge to any fancier. PLATE 13

TICKED BUFF BORDER FANCY CANARY

This lifelike portrayal shows exceptional feather detail and the ground color is excellent for a Buff. The wings and tail of the bird are unusually good; the legs and feet very natural. Note the tick mark back of the eye. PLATE 14

MINIATURE FAWN BORDER FANCY CANARY

The body of this canary shows good conformation, feathering, and position. The richness of the fawn coloring is little short of ideal.

On the perch, a good Border from eye to end of tail, shows an angle of about 60° above horizontal. A Miniature Border retains all of the form, feathering and coloring of the ideal Border but is smaller in size. PLATE 15

CINNAMON-MARKED NORWICH CANARY

The effect of cinnamon blood is considered to be of great value by many breeders. The standard for feathering is softness and silky texture with brilliancy and compactness. The feathering of this bird is exceptional. Evenness and fine texture are characteristic of the cinnamon canary. General form and position is close to the ideal. PLATE 16

PLAIN HEAD CLEAR BUFF NORWICH CANARY

The bird shown is ideally formed and nicely balanced. It is well up off the perch, and its feathering is clean and smooth. It is a natural color Norwich (not color fed) and is particularly lifelike. PLATE 17