There are books that you must have in your library if you love canaries.  Those listed here are ones that I feel are particularly good and worth spending money for.

Encyclopedia of Canaries by G. T. Dodwell is a book published in 1976.  Many of the photos are in black and white, but the information packed into the pages make this a great reference to have in your canary library.  His section on General Management includes chapters on housing, equipment, breeding, molting, exhibiting, and diseases.  A lengthy section on Varieties includes chapters on color and markings, with chapters dedicated to individual breeds.

The Complete Book of Canaries by G. T. Dodwell is a large book organized like an encyclopedia.  It is well written and beautifully illustrated with large, high quality photos of all types of canaries, as well as early prints and drawings.

A Collection of Canary Tales by Linda S. Hogan is a comprehensive book that deals with everything, including breeding, genetics, exhibiting, song, nutrition, and a section on questions and answers under each topic.  It is easy to read and packed with information and useful illustrations.  Linda is an avid breeder and exhibitioner of different kinds of canaries, including song, type, and color canaries.  She has achieved a master breeder status in both color-bred and roller canaries and has won numerous awards.  She is also a judge of type and color-bred canaries.  The book can be ordered off her website at www.canarytales.com

Brats in Feathers by R. C. "Robirda" McDonald is based on the website at www.robirda.com and contains a variety of topics and wonderful photos.  Chapter 15, Laying Eggs and Raising Chicks, contains clear color photos of highlights in a month in the life of a pair of breeding canaries, from the hen laying eggs, to their hatching, to the parents feeding the chicks, through the day of the chicks fledging out of the nest.  In addition to her book, Robirda's website offers a huge and growing collection of articles and resources.  Visit her archives of articles from her ezine, Flock Talk.

The Practical Canary Handbook by Marie Miley-Russell is a book on breeding and keeping canaries.  Marie has compiled a great resource to those just starting out in breeding canaries, especially American Singers.  As I was reading her book, I felt as if I were in a room with several knowledgeable canary keepers, each of them sharing their wisdom and suggestions.  For many of the topics covered, Marie offers more than one option and numerous tips.  You can find her book offered on her website at www.americansingercanary.com

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Suppliers

When searching for suppliers, I looked for those who had good products to offer with reasonable prices.  I have no connections to any of those listed here, just good experience with them or their products that causes me to recommend their company.

ABBA Products Corp.  at www.abbaseed.com has most things you need for your birdroom, including seeds, cages and accessories, and breeding supplies.  They take orders by mail only, but shipping is very quick.  All items are well packaged and of great quality.

Herman Bros. Pet Products at www.hermanbros-seed.com has every seed you will ever need for your birds.  Shipping may seem a bit high, but seed is heavy. 

Birds 2 Grow at www.birds2grow.com has a catalog of a variety of products, including items and medications you should keep in your birdroom medicine cabinet.

Orchid Tree Exotics at www.orchidtreeexotics.net is a good source for Quiko brand  products and unusual things like spirulina powder and Avian Trio Bee Pollen.

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The list below is a collection of websites that I have found very helpful.  I'm sure many others are out there, and I will add them here as I discover them.

www2.upatsix.com/asc/ is the official American Singer's Club site.  You will find information there about American Singers, show schedules, past show winners, breeders lists, local club chapters, and much more.  It's a great place to start, especially if you want to find a breeder near you to purchase a bird from.  If you are interested in raising American Singers, it will be an essential site, as you can get membership forms and information about joining the club.

At http://members.aol.com/canarylist/contents.htm you will find a resource that is great for folks interested in canaries.  This webpage has information about the "Canary List" which is an active and ongoing email discussion group that has members from all over the world ranging from novices to experienced and well known breeders and experts on the subject.  All breeds of canaries are discussed there, and a question can be posed by anyone joining the forum.  You can count on several answers to any question, as well as numerous opinions.  You can also look at the hundreds of archived discussions.  It is a great place to get someone else's opinion or a quick answer when you have a pressing issue.  The website is a bit outdated, and I don't think anyone is updating the pages anymore, BUT I highly recommend subscribing to the Canary List, and the instructions for how to join are shown there.

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