So You Want To Breed Your Canary by Charlotte Nierenberg

A guide for the novice.

Step-by-step care, before, during and after breeding. The aim of Mrs. Nieren­ berg is to take the guess work out of the novice's first attempt at canary breeding, providing a guide to success. The aim of this article is to intro­ Let us first see how Sex Link heredity This helpful handbook is a must for the duce terminology and basic genetics behaves. In the sex link group there is the beginner's library, as well as the ex­ perienced fancier. for the canary breeder in a very simple Dominant and the Recessive color or form. characteristic. For example green is domi­ $3.00 Post Paid The so called new color canary is the nant over Brown, and Brown is recessive result of several mutations that occurred to the Green color. Green (dominant) can Order From in recent years. To understand and to be carrier of Brown (recessive) but brown A.F.A. Watchbird breed the new color canaries we must (recessive) can not be carrier of green. P.O. Box 1125 learn some very basic laws dealing with The rule of thumb states that darker hue Garden Grove, CA. 92642 genetics. First we must divide canaries melanin canary is dominant over light hue in two groups: Melanin and Lipochrome. melanin canary. Melanin is the term that describes dark pigment observed in feathers. Figure 1 is a schematic to show Sex This space Therefore, melanin canary is dark in Link behavior. XX represents male and has been color like the two classic canaries Green XY represents female canary. Each chro­ donated by and Brown (cinnamon). Type canary mosome is numbered to show inheritance breeders use the term Self to describe from the parents. The Y chromosome in RALPH SMITH melanin. the female is sometimes referred as the TURQUISINE AVIARIES Lipochrome is the term that describes empty chromosome. (213) 728-2263 light pigment. Yellow, Red and White are Green/Brown (Heterozygote) indicates Lipochrome canaries. Type canary breed­ that canary is all green in color and is a for A.F.A.'s use in ers use the term Clear to describe lipo­ carrier of Brown. support of their efforts. chrome. In sex link behavior female can not be Whether melanin or lipochrome, canar­ a carrier. NOTICE TO MEMBERS ies come in three ground colors; yellow, Under the Independent heredity group PLEASE ADVICE AFA. IF red and white. Recessive (open, Ino, white) are the next YOU HAVE A CHANGE OF Yellow, green and brown are yellow we will talk about. ADDRESS. BECAUSE OF ground canaries. Refer to figure 2 and notice that XY is THE BULK RATE PERMIT White, blue and ivory are white ground not used to denote the female. Instead we - MAIL WITH AN INCOR­ canaries. will use XX, and now either parent can be RECT ADDRESS IS NOT Red and bronze are red ground canar­ assumed as male or female. Also, female FORWARDED. ies. can now be a carrier. If you wish to work The next major hurdle is to under­ out the recessive traits or colors just stand the genetic make-up and heredity substitute with the opal chromosome in factors of various known mutations. figure 2 and you will find the results you Aluminum Below are the two major groups of need. different genetic make-up: Figure 3 is the white dominant sche­ Leg Bands matic. Here we can see that dominant PROMPT SERVICE • HIGH QUALITY Sex Link Heredity white is never pure. White dominant is al­ Green ways a carrier of yellow or Red-Orange. ORDER 1976 BANDS Agata (dilute) Yellow or Red-Orange can not be a car­ Coded Parakeet Closed Bands. Brown (cinnamon) rier of dominant white. When the combi­ Regular Initial Type Bands, not coded, Isabel (cinnamon dilute) nation permits pure white (HOMOZY­ in choice of colors, open or closed. 1 Pastel GOTE), Figure 3 "B" mating 1-3 embryo ' Plastic Family Identification Bands for keets or canary, choice of colors. Ivory will die in the shell. Leg Band Cutters. Bird Claw Scissors. Mosaic (dimorphic) The last of the Independent heredity Satinet (red eyes) are Yellow and Red Factor. Here are SEND SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE FOR COMPLETE PRICE LIST. some examples in respect to yellow and Independent Heredity red orange matings: RED BIRD Yellow Yellow X Yelow will produce all PRODUCTS, INC. Red factor yellow. Yellow X Red-Orange (Lipochrome) 2786 Fruitridge Road Open Recessive P.O. Box 20004 (Dept. A.F.A.) Ino Recessive (red eyes) will produce all red-orange but very pale Sacramento, CA. 95820 White Recessive orange, in other words yellow dilutes the White Dominant red. 36 A A

X X X Y G GREEN GEffi GJ NON-OPAL ffi~ I .<. 3 't I .<. 3 't GREEN X BROWN OPAL X OPAl ~AL GBROWN XX XX XV XV G X X X X X X X X rnffirnGJ ffi[±J[±]G:EJ I 3 .l. 3 I if .l.. 'f I 3 .l. 3 I if .l.. 'f GREEN/BROWN GREEN OPAL

B c c

X X X Y X y [~j GJ GErn ~rn ~ffi I ). 3 'f I .l. 3 'f I ). 3 'I I .l. 3 'f BROWN X GREEN GREEN/BROWN BROWN OPAL X NON OPAL CARRIER/OPAL X OPAL ITJEEJITlGTIXX XV XV XX X XV XV ~~GBrn ~ ~ GE1E8ffiffi ~ rnGErurn .l..~ I o .l.. I 4 .J. 4 I >. !> I 'f ;>, 'f lo 'I .J.'I I >. !> I 'I ;>, 'I GREEN/BROWN BROWN GREEN/BROWN BROWN GREEN BROWN CARRIER/ OPAL OPAL CARRIER/0 OPAL CARRIER/0

D E E

X X X V X X X y X X X X rnrn [TJ[TJ I .l. 3 '+ G8rnI .l. 3 'f I ). 3 'f GREENIBROWN GREEN GREEN GREEN CARRIER/0 X CARRIER/0 CARRIER/0 X NON-OPAL

X X GE.rn rn~rn GEl I: I: I I: I: I ~~ rn13 .l.3 /'f rn.J.'t I 3 .l. 3 I 'f .J. ,. I ~ .2 ~ I 4- .2 'I- GREEN GREEN/BROWN GREEN BROWN GREEN GREEN GREEN GREEN NON-OPAL CARRIER/OPAL NON-OPAL NON-OPAL CARRIER/0 NON-OPAL CARRIER/0 Figure 1. Figure 2. Sex Link Schematic for the Mating of Green and Brown Recessive Schematic for the Mating of Opal and Non-Opal

Yellow X any melanin will produce all varigated canaries. Red-Orange X any melanin will pro­ duce all varigated canaries. All Lipochrome canaries if mated to CLASSIFIED ADS the melanin canaries will produce all CLASSIFIED RATES- $3.00 mm1mum charge for 4 lines of type (average 7 words per varigated canaries. When working with line). Additional charge of 9¢ per word for ad running over 28 words. (28 words to include Lipochrome Ivory (sex link), Yellow and name, address and phone.) All copy to be RECEIVED BY 15th day of month preceding Red-Orange is dominant over ivory. publication. With breeding season in full swing and the knowledge you have gained reading this article, see if you can create a black canary. Good Luck! WANTED: Additional breeding stock of minia­ WANTED: 1 Pileated Parrot hen, 1 Short Tail· ture dove, quail and exotic finches. Will trade ed Parrot hen (Graydidascalus brachyurus). Dr. A or purchase·. Gall or write: Frank J. Kozeluh, Ray Kray, Veterinary Clinic, 10611 Burbank 6171 Amarillo, La Mesa, CA. 92041. Phone Boulevard, No. Hollywood, Calif. 91601. GJ[±J (714) 469-4724. 1 1 I .l. 3 'I FOR SALE: Welded Wire /z" x /z", 4' x 100'. WHITE X YELLOW FOR SALE: Raising Parrakeets for Pleasure and Wholesale price. Jerry Jennings, 1803 Pontius Profit - $3.00. Mrs. Alta Duncan Myers, 6076 Ave., L.A., Calif. (213) 884·5476 evenings. 82nd Terrace, Pinellas Park, Florida 33565. WANTED: Cuban Melodious Finch. Jerry Jen· FOR SALE: Lady Goulds, 1975·hatch, all birds nings, 1803 Pontius Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. WHITE YELLOW WHITE YELLOW raised in my outside aviary. Art Schultz, 2666 90025. Tel. (213) 884-54 76 evenings. Circle Dr., l;:scondido, CA. 92025. (714) 745-1290. FOR SALE - Parrots of all kinds - Dusky, B Yellow Streaked, Black Capped Lories - Also LIVE MEAL WORMSencourage breeding, pro­ Parrots, Macaw's and Cockatoos - Crimson vide natural vitamin-packed nutrients for growth Wings - other Lories. Exotic Bird and Animal and development. Fun to hand feed for tam­ Imports- P.O. Box 402343, Ocean view Branch, rnrn @ Miami Beach, Florida 33140. I .l. 3 '+ ing! Wholesale to Club Members: 5000 WHITE WHITE $9.25; 10,000 @ 17.50, 20,000 @ 32.00. Handy cups of 506 in bran only $15.60 per dozen. Have peach face color mutations, some breeder SO POOL YOUR ORDERS! Call tonight (714) pairs. Also blue masked and cockatiels. SASE 298-5678 until 7 p.m. Olympic Meal Worms, for list. Need hen Elegants and hen red front Dept. A.F.A., Box 2500, La Jolla, CA. 92038. Kakariki. Phil Ryan, 183 14th Ave., N.W., New Brighton, Minnesota 55112, (612) WILL DIE YELLOW WI:IITE 636-5133. LADY GOULDIANS - $90.00 per pair. All Figure 3. Birds raised in outside Aviaries. Dr. Watkins, 4234 Toch Street, San Diego, Calif. 92117 FOR SALE: Cape Doves $60.00 per pair. Moe. (714) 274·4473 (after 6) Ratliff (714) 528-4790. Mating of Dominant White and Yellow • 37