Wild Canary

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All the different types of canary that we know today are descended from the wild canary (Serinus canarius). Wild Canaries, like the one pictured below, continue to live in the Canary Islands and in the Southwest of Spain.

While today's canaries display a wide range of colors as a result of careful and selective breeding the Wild Canary is primarily green. The wild canary hen (female) is rounder than her male counterpart. This is the result of greater edging to the hen's feathers which makes her appear to be rounder. The male's color appears brighter, especially around his face. The most distinct difference between them are the striations or flanks. The male appears to be almost completely void of this distinction, while the hen's flanks are clear and distinct.