Australian plainhead

The Australian plainhead is a breed of domestic canary that was created for show purposes. The variety was developed through selective breeding and remains the only breed of canary created in Australia.

A clear buff Australian plainhead

History

The Australian plainhead has its roots in the old style Norwich canaries that originated in Norwich, England and became a popular show variety in Australia.^[1] In the 1930s, differences between the older show standard used by the breeders of Victoria, Australia and the more modern standards of the UK, created a bitter divide amongst Australian breeders of the Norwich canary.^[2] Decades later, after the modern Norwich had largely displaced the old-style birds from the Victorian show scene, a club was started in 1953 to preserve the old breed which was renamed the Australian plainhead.^[2] By 1991, the number of Australian plainhead canaries in Australia had dropped to around 460 birds.^[3] Whilst the Australian plainhead remains a rare breed, it is now far more widespread with birds being bred throughout Australia and in the US.^[3]

Showing

A colour-fed clear buff Australian plainhead

The Australian plainhead is a "type canary", which is mainly judged for its shape (referred to as type). Despite this, the breed is also noted for its colour and feather quality.^[4] Australian plainhead may be green, blue (grey), yellow, white, cinnamon, fawn and variegated. Show birds may be "colour-fed" carotenoids during molting which gives new feathers an orange hue, but this is optional.^[5] The birds are shown in a box style show cage with a white interior.^[5]

Breeding

Australian plainheads typically breed well with basic care and attention.^[2] While many other large canary breeds require foster pairs to rear their offspring, Australian plainheads are good feeders and usually rear their own young.^[2]

See also

• Atlantic canary (wild canary)
• Domestic canary
• Harz Roller, another breed
• Red factor canary, another breed