How Much Do Canaries Cost?

You surely heard about Tweety the Canary, the cute yellow bird in the cartoon that managed to fool the "kitten" so gracefully. These social bird avoids cats in real life too. It can be of other colors, but its charm and grace are undeniable.

Originally from the Canary Islands, the Tenerife Islands, Gran Canaria, Palma, Madeira, and the Azores archipelago, these little birds were named after the Canary Islands, which derives from the Latin name Canariae insulae (dog island), which referred to the large number of dogs raised by the Canary Islands natives.

How Much Do Canaries Cost?

Individual canaries can cost anywhere between $10 and $400 (≈3.3 days of your career at $15/hour) or more, depending on their characteristics. In 2023, a basic domestic canary bird typically ranges from $25 - $75 (≈5 hours of labor required at $15/hour). 

Male canaries are often the most expensive than female canaries because they are more highly sought after due to their superior singing abilities. According to the breeders, the best time to establish the gender of the bird is fall because, during this time of the year, only the males sing.

The purchase price of Canaries depends on some factors such as the gender of the bird, age, plumage, where you buy it from, and breed line.

You can find many different types of canaries at Birds Express in California with initial costs starting from $85 (≈5.7 hours of your life traded for $15/hour) and going up to $360 (≈3 days of non-stop labor at a $15/hour salary).

There is a wide variety of canary types at Finch Farm in Washington with costs anywhere between $100 and $390 (≈3.3 days of desk time at a $15/hour wage).

Also, LL Cages in Washington has many different types of canary birds for sale with prices anywhere between $90 and $110 (≈7.3 hours that you sacrifice at a $15/hour job).

If you are not able to purchase a canary physically from a local pet store or breeder you can buy it online, but it will result in higher expenses.

For example, LL Cages charges a flat rate of around $110 (≈7.3 hours that you sacrifice at a $15/hour job) for shipping. Also, Birds Express has shipping fees starting at $160 (≈1.3 days of non-stop labor at a $15/hour salary) plus a box fee of $25 (≈1.7 hours of labor required at $15/hour) with a minimum order of $255 (≈2.1 days of uninterrupted employment at $15/hour).

Canaries can have many different colors like black and yellow, orange, green and yellow, red, and many more combinations. Colors that are not so common will affect the cost.

ParrotCrown.com offers yellow canaries for sale at $95 (≈6.3 hours working without breaks at $15/hour) each, with ages ranging from 5-28 weeks (babies), 8-11 months (juveniles), and 1-1.5 years (adults).

Besides the color, the plumage may be different as there are birds that have crested heads or feathered feet. For example, there are canaries with body plumage which makes them look like small feather dusters for which you will have to pay a higher price.

You might also like our articles about the cost of a Moluccan Cockatoo, Pigeon, or Parakeet.

Also, canaries are popular birds that have different song types and they can be taught to sing certain tunes. Expect to pay more for a show champion song canary.

The age of the canaries will also affect the way they sing. Their songs will be more distinguishable once they reach the age of six months. So, older male canaries will be more expensive.

Canary cost is influenced by the breed line and the show awards. So, when buying your canary from a particular champion breed line expect to pay a higher price.

Interesting facts about canaries

The canaries are divided into three categories: we have the ones grown for color (the brown canary, the one from England), the canaries grown for their special song (especially the American one), and the canary grown for shape (usually the Scottish or Belgian canary).

Since canaries are divided into three groups, you have to decide whether you want a canary for its soft song, beautiful color, or interesting appearance. Males usually sing better than females, but they do not sing with the same intensity all year round. Thus, the canaries stop singing during the shedding period, but sometimes without clear reasons.

Cost of owning this breed of pet birds

Although canaries are small birds, they need a lot of space. The bird likes to fly around and is very mobile, so the bigger their cage - the better. Ideally, the canary cage should be parallelepiped in the size of min. 24x18x18 inches. The important thing is to have small gaps between the bars of a maximum of ½ inches - so that the canary does not accidentally get stuck.

The bottom of the cage should be sprinkled with special sand for the canary, which is also used for bathing. A container of water should be placed in it - also for bathing, and as a place to keep and grind the claws, buy perches, and install them. Of course, you also need to provide them with access to food and water dishes.

So, you should budget an average cost between $60 and $135 (≈1.1 days working to pay for this at $15/hour) for the cage and around $8 for a pair of natural wood perches. Also, for the bathing bowl, you will spend around $8.

Canaries typically have a long lifespan, about 10-15 years with proper care, and are rarely sick. The most common conditions are eye disease and skin keratosis. The new feathered friend can also be infested with bacterial, fungal, or viral infections manifesting symptoms like discharge, and difficulty breathing. Noticing symptoms early and sourcing an experienced avian veterinarian remains imperative for resolving medical issues threatening fragile wellness when issues emerge.

Another dangerous condition is diarrhea. Most canary diseases are noticed by changes in the behavior of the bird - if it becomes depressed, does not drink, does not eat, or does not take care of its feathers - fast veterinary treatment is essential. You should budget around $60 (≈4 hours to sacrifice at work earning $15/hour) for a regular health exam and at the very least $110 (≈7.3 hours that you sacrifice at a $15/hour job) for emergencies and treatment.

The canary needs a varied diet to maintain its health. Seed mixtures sold in specialty stores, consisting of millet, rapeseed, hemp, etc. are recommended. Its food can be supplemented with green leafy vegetables (salad, spinach, broccoli, etc.), boiled egg yolk, and carrot leaves. The bird will not refuse pieces of melons, apples, or grapes. Expect to pay around $38 (≈2.5 hours at the office earning $15/hour) for a 10-lb bag of extra small pelleted food blend, while quantities of 3 - 50 lbs., have prices starting at $5.50 for seed mix.

Vitamin supplements are also recommended, especially in the case of a diet consisting mainly of seed mixtures. So, for two small-size cuttlebones, which are a great source of calcium, you will have to pay anywhere between $4 and $6.

Important things to consider

A very valuable use of the canaries was to warn the people working in the mine. Because these birds are very sensitive to odors, they detect gas leaks very quickly. So the birds either fell into a daze or even died, and the mineworkers withdrew. In England, wild canaries were used for this purpose until 1987.

Most canaries are somewhat shy. Compared to older birds, they do not like to be held in your hands. However, canaries are charming birds and interact with you from the comfort of the large cage in which they are kept.

Compared to other pets, the canary will not imitate your voice but will respond in its language when you talk to it. Be gentle with a canary because it will pinch you, if it feels stressed or threatened.

Consider purchasing a partner for your canary if you stay home for less than 5 hours a day. The behavior and sociability of the canary differ from those of the parrots. Canaries are domesticated, and when they fly they know how to land on the owner's shoulder or the table.

When we release them, we need to make sure that the doors and windows are tightly closed. If the weather is nice, canaries like to stay outdoors, but be sure to place the cage in a place away from birds of prey or direct sunlight, preferably on a higher surface.