# Australian plainhead

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The **Australian plainhead** is a breed of [domestic canary](/source/Domestic_canary) that was created for show purposes. The variety was developed through [selective breeding](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Victoria_(Australia)), 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

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](/source/Carotenoid) 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](/source/Atlantic_canary) (wild canary)
- [Domestic canary](/source/Domestic_canary)
- [Harz Roller](/source/Harz_Roller), another breed
- [Red factor canary](/source/Red_factor_canary), another breed

## References

1. Passignani, Giuliono; Giordana, Nicola; Barra, Ugo (2007). *Il mondo dei Canarini di Forma e Posizione Lisci*. Federazione Ornicoltori Italiani: Tipolitografia Editrice Lumini. pp. 195–198.

1. Williams, Frank (2000). *The Australian Plainhead Canary*. J. Leaney & F. Williams. pp. 5–9, 20. ISBN 0-9585336-6-0.

1. Leaney, Jeff (November 2005). "Plain, but attractive". *Talking Birds*

1. Bracegirdle, Joe (1986). *Exhibition canaries*. England: Triplegate Ltd. pp. 133–134. ISBN 086230-054-1.

1. Leaney, Jeff & Williams, Frank (1993). *The Australian canary handbook*. Melbourne, Australia: Jeff Leaney & Frank Williams. pp. 47–48. ISBN 0-646-15338-2.

## External links

- [home.iprimus.com.au](http://home.iprimus.com.au/auscanary/Page13.htm)

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