Male or Female?

I have never been able to detect any differences of character or temperament between cocks (males) and hens (females), to use the terms by which fanciers refer to their birds. I find all canaries equally lovable.

? Female sing less than males do.

? If you want a bird that sings a lot and has a varied repertoire, you should choose a male. Only males produce real songs made up of distance parts and incorporating different musical elements.

? Sexing canaries is not easy because males and females hardly differ in outward appearance.
? Song provides the only clue. Males sing for longer periods and have a larger repertoire than females, which will only occasionally imitate a melody. Generally, breeders and dealers keep canaries segregated by gender. If this not the case, ask the seller about the sex of the bird you are interested in. Since the dealer will have observed the birds over time, he or she should be able to answer this question for you.