About feeding a canary
Canaries are small finches kept more for song than handling, with a diet centred on quality seed but improved greatly by pellets and greens.
How much should a canary eat?
Calorie needs use the veterinary formula 129 × weight(kg)0.75 (the Resting Energy Requirement), multiplied by a lifestyle factor of ×1 for a typical bird at the life stage shown. Enter your own animal's details in the calculator for an exact figure.
| Body weight | Daily calories |
|---|---|
| 15 g | 6 kcal |
| 17 g | 6 kcal |
| 19 g | 7 kcal |
| 21 g | 7 kcal |
| 24 g | 8 kcal |
| 26 g | 8 kcal |
| 28 g | 9 kcal |
| 30 g | 9 kcal |
What to feed
A canary/finch seed mix or pellets with fresh greens and the occasional egg food, especially during moult and breeding.
How often to feed
Offer measured seed or pellets and fresh greens daily.
Frequently asked questions
What do canaries eat?
A quality canary seed mix or pellets, supplemented with fresh greens and egg food during moulting and breeding. Keep fatty seeds like niger as a small part of the mix.
How much should I feed my bird?
It depends on species: a budgie (30 g) eats roughly 5-8 g of food a day, a cockatiel (90 g) around 8-12 g, and larger parrots proportionally more. Offer measured pellets plus fresh veg and weigh your bird weekly.
Are seeds bad for pet birds?
Seeds aren't toxic, but as a staple they're too fatty and lack vitamins A and calcium. Use them as a small treat and make formulated pellets and vegetables the base of the diet.