Atlantic Canary

Overview

The Atlantic Canary, also called the Island Canary, is a small finch native to the Macaronesian archipelagos of the eastern Atlantic. It is the wild ancestor from which the many-colored Domestic Canary was bred.

Plumage

Wild birds are considerably duller than the familiar bright yellow domestic form: the upperparts are streaked olive-green and grey-brown, the face and breast are yellow-green, and the belly is paler grey-white. Males show slightly brighter yellow-green tones on the face and breast than females, which are more uniformly streaked and subdued.

Field Marks

• Small finch with olive-green, streaked upperparts and a yellow-green face and breast
• Pale grey-white belly and undertail
• Short, conical, pale bill typical of seed-eating finches

Similar Species

The Atlantic Canary resembles other Serinus species such as the European Serin, but is somewhat larger and has a proportionally longer tail and less contrasting streaking; range is also a strong clue, since the Atlantic Canary is essentially confined to Macaronesia while the Serin is a mainland European and North African species.

Habitat & Range

The species is native to the Canary Islands, Azores, and Madeira, where it inhabits woodland edges, scrubby hillsides, gardens, parks, and cultivated farmland from near sea level up into higher forested zones such as laurel forest and pine woodland.

Atlantic Canaries are largely non-migratory, remaining resident on their home islands year-round, though some local altitudinal movement can occur outside the breeding season in response to food availability.

Behavior

Atlantic Canaries are active and often approachable, foraging in small flocks or family groups outside the breeding season and frequenting gardens and cultivated areas as readily as natural scrub and woodland.

Voice

The song is a bright, sustained, musical warbling of trills and varied notes, delivered from an exposed perch or in flight; this natural song was a key reason the species was originally captured and bred, eventually giving rise to specialized song-canary breeds.

Feeding

Birds feed primarily on small seeds gathered from grasses and low plants, supplemented with buds and occasional small insects.

Nesting & Breeding

Pairs build a neat cup nest of grass and plant fibers in a shrub or tree, laying small clutches of pale, lightly speckled eggs that the female incubates while the male provides food.