Are Canaries Always Yellow?

While the phrase "canary yellow" has become a commonplace color identifier, canaries are not always yellow. Wild canaries often appear greenish or bluish, because of the interplay between two distinct layers of pigment, and the bright yellow that has become synonymous with the bird itself was merely a mutation that breeders liked and sought to replicate. Domestic color canaries are now available in hundreds of shades.

  1. Clear Yellow and Clear White Canaries

    • Clear yellow canaries are bred for their pigmentation.

      Pure yellow and pure white canaries are called "clear" yellow or white because there is no melanin pigment overlaying the ground color --- known as the lipochrome layer --- of either yellow or white. Clear canaries are bred for this coloration trait alone, and most song-type canaries are not clear birds. Some breeders think that a link exists between a bird's color and its ability to sing. However, there isn't any scientific evidence to support the claim that clear birds are less adept at singing.

    Black and Brown Melanin Variations

    • The interplay between the ground color and the overlay can result in a variety of shades.

      When a melanin overlay is present in a canary, a variety of natural color schemes can occur. Melanin is often a mix of black and brown pigment, but sometimes one of the two pigments is missing. The type of melanin on top of the ground color is what causes the variations. Black and brown melanin on a white canary produces a blue-gray colored bird called a blue canary. On a yellow bird, the overall color is more of a green. If only brown melanin is present on a yellow canary, the result is a cinnamon color known as cinnamon factor. Other variations due to lipochrome-melanin combinations are gold, silver, bronze, red factor, pastel, fawn and lizard.

    Feather Type and Frosting

    • Canaries with soft-type feathers are called frosted canaries.

      Feather type, which is classified as either hard or soft, can also affect coloration in canaries. In hard-feather types, color permeates the entire feather. In soft-type feathers, however, color does not extend all the way to the tips of each feather, leaving those tips white. Soft-feathered canaries are called frosted canaries, while those that aren't are considered non-frosted.

    Color Enhancement

    • Breeders can color-feed their canaries to enhance their colorations.

      Color feeding is another way breeders can expand on the variety of colors canaries can have. For example, canaries can be fed red peppers to enhance the red tones in their coloration. Certain extracts and chemicals can also be purchased, mixed with water and then fed to the canary. However, color feeding and chemical treatment can be hazardous to the bird's health if not done properly.