Island Canary
Serinus canaria
Wild island canaries are mostly greenish-brown with yellow-green highlights; the bright yellow variety was bred selectively by humans.
- Scientific name
- Serinus canaria
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Fringillidae › Serinus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Laurel forests, pine woods, agricultural fields, and gardens.
- Diet
- Primarily seeds, plant buds, and occasionally small insects.
- Range
- Canary Islands, Azores, Madeira
- Size
- 12-13.5 cm long, weight of 15-20 grams
- Lifespan
- 5 to 10 years in the wild
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, urbanization, and predation by invasive feral cats.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Observe from a respectful distance of 5-10 meters to avoid disrupting its foraging. Use binoculars for a closer look. Safe to encounter; no risk of bites or stings.
The Atlantic canary ( Serinus canaria ), known worldwide simply as the wild canary and also called the island canary , canary , or common canary , is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus Serinus in the finch family, Fringillidae. It is native to the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira. Wild birds are mostly yellow-green, with brownish streaking on the back. The species is common in captivity and a number of colour varieties have been bred.
Photo: Juan Emilio, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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