Coloured Canaries

The creation of Dolly the sheep in the 1990s was for many people the start of a new era: the age of genetically modified animals. However, the idea was not new for in the 1920s an amateur scientist, Hans Duncker, decided to genetically engineer a red canary. Though his experiments failed, they paved the way for others to succeed when it was recognised that the canary needed to be both a product of nature and nurture. This highly original narrative, of huge contemporary relevance, reveals how the obsession with turning the wild canary from green to red heralded the exciting but controversial developments in genetic manipulation.

This vintage book contains a complete and practical guide to the breeding, exhibiting, and general management of canaries. This accessible and profusely illustrated guide includes all the information an existing or prospective canary keeper might need to know, and it is highly recommended for those with a practical interest in the subject. The chapters of this book include: “Canary Keeping as a Hobby”, “Aviaries, Cages, and Fittings”, “Breeding and General Management”, “Moulting and Colour Feeding”, “Diseases and their Treatment”, “Seeds and their Uses”, “Exhibiting”, “The Belgian”, “The Scots Fancy”, etcetera. Many antiquarian books such as this are increasingly hard to come by and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are republishing this book now in an affordable, modern, high quality edition. It comes complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on aviculture.

With this volume, the well-known author begins a three-part book series that will cover all breeding directions of canary breeding in a compact form. In volume 1, the interesting history of the Canary's development into a domestic bird is examined from partly new aspects. The book contains tried and tested advice on keeping, caring for and breeding canaries in a manner appropriate to their species, as well as on a balanced, largely natural diet. In addition to an introduction to the anatomy of birds, embryonic development and feather structure, the volume also deals with compactly compiled advice on the treatment of diseases and parasite infestations. The special section of the book explains the four most important song canary breeds and their songs. In addition, there are valuable tips on breeding the song-colour and song-posture canaries. This part of the book is rounded off with tips on breeding and training the song canaries.

Winner of the Consul Cremer Prize, The Red Canary follows the compelling quest to turn the green canary red. The creation of Dolly the sheep in the 1990s was for many people the start of a new era: the age of genetically modified animals. However, the idea was not new, for in the 1920s an amateur scientist, Hans Duncker, decided to genetically engineer a red canary. Favored originally for their voice, by the middle of the nineteenth century canaries had become so popular that millions were exported from Europe to the United States to satisfy demand. During the 1870s, English canary breeders caused a scandal by feeding their birds red peppers to turn them orange. In the 1930s, Duncker's genetics efforts caught the attention of the Nazi regime who saw him as a champion of their eugenic policies, even though his ingenious experiments were not successful. Nonetheless, Duncker's work paved the way thirty years later for an Englishman, Anthony Gill, and an American, Charles Bennett, to succeed, after recognizing that the red canary would need to be a product of both nature and nurture. In Tim Birkhead's masterful hands, this highly original narrative reveals how the obsession of bird keepers turned the wild canary from green to red, and in the process, heralded exciting but controversial developments in genetic manipulation.

The second volume of the book series describes in a compact form the colour canaries and the fascinating breeding of carduelid hybrids. The author gives an overview of the history of genetics and the mechanisms of plumage colouration. The latest scientific findings are included. All currently bred and internationally recognised varieties of colour canaries are described in words and pictures. New are the colour descriptions according to the RAL colour system. Furthermore, there are valuable hints on breeding hybrids between canaries and other carduelids or between different carduelid species. Many mating is discussed and presented with pictures. These topics are rounded off with the necessary hints for participation in exhibitions and bird evaluations. In the appendix you will find a whole series of tables for the most diverse mating between individual canary colours.