Goldfinch x Canary (1 Viewer)

[LMN]

Hi

Can anyone comfirm theese birds as Goldfinch x Canary hybrids? They are photographed at the Greek island Simi. If so could anyone sex them, if they are both Goldfinch x Canary i belive that the bird in the white cage is a male and the one in the blue is female. I am not that much in doubt regarding the id of the bird in the white cage but not so sure about the parent species (Goldfinch is obvious) of the hybrid one in the blue cage.

Cheers

Lars Michael

 

[Dimitris]

Hi

Can anyone comfirm theese birds as Goldfinch x Canary hybrids? They are photographed at the Greek island Simi. If so could anyone sex them, if they are both Goldfinch x Canary i belive that the bird in the white cage is a male and the one in the blue is female. I am not that much in doubt regarding the id of the bird in the white cage but not so sure about the parent species (Goldfinch is obvious) of the hybrid one in the blue cage.

Cheers

Lars Michael

You are correct. These are Canaries x Goldfinces. Unfortunately still a crossing the two is a common practice in Greece as is wild bird trapping...

Cheers!

Dimitris

 

[Gentoo]

That's what that is. I used to raise and keep birds but never understood this god awful practice of crossing Canaries with everything under the sun.

 

[Joern Lehmhus]

I also don´t understand this "crossmania"!

Concerning your birds I think it is difficult to tell sexes apart as coloration also seems to depend on the breed of canary parent and on the feed ( people colourfeed their birds).

also from a few photos in the web i think there is a lot of individual variability also in wild greenfinch x goldfinch hybrids (Which seem to occur sometimes-but very rarely).

so i´d also assume the same for the canary cross.

 

[Gentoo]

Another problem with Canary crosses is that many Canaries carry genes from past hybridization with other birds that sometimes come out and create a lot of confusion. red factor canaries in fact are the result of past hybridization with Red Siskins. American Goldfinch x Canary hybrids produce birds with black wings and tails that are otherwize almost identical to pure canaries.

 

[LMN]

Thanks fou your comments. And this cross breeding is indeed one strange hobby.
If you have ever wondered how Common crossbill x Mongolian Trumpeter Finch loot hen clickk like here: http://www.tonytilford.co.uk/g_cage_aviary/hybrid_birds1.htm

cheers