{{short description|Breed of domestic canary}} thumb|alt=Clear buff Australian plainhead canary, not colourfed|A clear buff ''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.
== 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.<ref name="Federazione Ornicoltori Italiani">{{cite book|last1=Passignani|first1=Giuliono|title=Il mondo dei Canarini di Forma e Posizione Lisci|year=2007|publisher=Tipolitografia Editrice Lumini|location=Federazione Ornicoltori Italiani|last2= Giordana |first2=Nicola |last3=Barra |first3=Ugo|pages=195–198}}</ref> 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.<ref name="A">{{cite book|last=Williams|first=Frank|title=The Australian Plainhead Canary|year=2000|publisher=J. Leaney & F. Williams|isbn=0-9585336-6-0|pages=5–9, 20}}</ref> 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.<ref name="A" /> By 1991, the number of Australian plainhead canaries in Australia had dropped to around 460 birds.<ref name=B>{{cite journal|last=Leaney|first=Jeff|title=Plain, but attractive|journal=Talking Birds|date=November 2005|page=7}}</ref> Whilst the Australian plainhead remains a rare breed, it is now far more widespread with birds being bred throughout Australia and in the US.<ref name=B/>
== Showing == thumb|alt=Clear buff Australian Plainhead canary|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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bracegirdle|first=Joe|title=Exhibition canaries|year=1986|publisher=Triplegate Ltd|location=England|isbn=086230-054-1|pages=133–134}}</ref> 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.<ref name=C>{{cite book|last=Leaney|first=Jeff|title=The Australian canary handbook|year=1993|publisher=Jeff Leaney & Frank Williams|location=Melbourne, Australia|isbn=0-646-15338-2|pages=47–48|author2=Williams, Frank}}</ref> The birds are shown in a box style show cage with a white interior.<ref name=C/>
== Breeding ==
Australian plainheads typically breed well with basic care and attention.<ref name="A" /> While many other large canary breeds require foster pairs to rear their offspring, Australian plainheads are good feeders and usually rear their own young.<ref name="A" />
== See also ==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order --> * Atlantic canary (wild canary) * Domestic canary * Harz Roller, another breed * Red factor canary, another breed
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links == *[http://home.iprimus.com.au/auscanary/Page13.htm home.iprimus.com.au]
Category:Aviculture Category:Bird breeds Category:Serinus