The canary is one of the best known birds in the world, as well as the most desired, especially to have at home as a pet or to hear its song. However, within the generic canary breed we find many different sub-races, among them we find the agate canaries.
Agate canaries come from a mutation found in Holland and whose name comes from the agate stone to which the color of the canary so closely resembles. The main characteristic of these birds lies in the concentration of melanin pigments in the center of the feathers.
If you want to know what agate canaries are like, keep reading this article from where we are going to show you all the characteristics you should know about agate canaries.
The Agate Canaries
This breed of canary was found in Holland, in Mr. Holder’s aviary. The agate canary is usually defined as a dilution of the green canary, and received the name of agate due to the similarity of the color of the mantle with that of the stone (diluted black).
The mutation that obtained the agate phenotype result can be defined as the first reduction factor and this affects the black melanin, referring to the fact that it is concentrated towards the center of the feather, leaving the edges almost completely DE pigmented, and also greatly reducing the pheomelanin.
In addition, there is an interruption and narrowing in the dorsal striate caused by a superimposition of the feathers on one another, which are affected by a concentration of melanin pigments towards the center of them.
Characteristics of an Agate
The Agate canary has a striated head, well marked in a fine and narrow way. The melanin’s grow just a few millimeters after the beak. The eyebrows are almost sharp, while it has well-defined whiskers.
It can be said that the eyebrows and whiskers are very characteristic of agate. The eyebrows have almost clear lip chrome, while the mustaches are very marked and perfectly contrasted.
Melanin’s can be found on the head, where they are perfectly striated and marked.
As for the whiskers, these are located on both sides of the jaw, which are formed by black pigment. These must stand out clearly, and the better the specimen is considered to be, the blacker its whiskers will be.
The eyebrows can be perfectly seen in the form of an arch, just above the eyes. And that due to the absence of melanin, the lip chrome can be clearly seen.
It is considered that for it to be a good agate, the lack of pheomelanin must be total. The grooves should be fine, short (between 10 to 11 mm) and narrow (around 1 mm). In addition, the markings and the bars must be narrower in the Black-Brown, and the rowers and tail feathers must also have a diluted edge.
The melanin pattern will be completely dark gray, almost similar to black, and will start a few millimeters behind the starting area of the beak. (It will be in the area near and around the peak where the almost pure lip chrome will be noticeable.
The sub-plumage is black like anthracite. On the other hand, the legs, fingers, nails and beak will be a light gray color.
Agate canaries can also present some defects, not all of them are completely perfect, and among these defects we can find: The presence of pheomelanin, the manifestation of a staining of the lip chrome of the chest area, which occurs due to an excess of oxidation. And in the back area, due to the effect of melanin, the black is dispersed. That the melanin pattern begins at the very base of the beak, and that the dorsal pattern is interrupted. That there is a total or partial absence of the whiskers. That the tail feathers and the t-shirts are presented without a halo of dilution, that the eyebrows are missing, and finally it may turn out that the nails, the beak, the legs are dark instead of a light color.
Phenotypes
Depending on its category, the agate canary can present the following phenotypes: intense yellow agate, snowy yellow agate, mosaic yellow agate, intense red agate, snowy red agate, mosaic red agate, dominant white (silver) agate, recessive white (silver) agate, Deep Ivory Yellow Agate, Snowy Ivory Yellow Agate, Mosaic Ivory Yellow Agate, Snowy Ivory Red Agate, Deep Ivory Red Agate, Mosaic Ivory Red Agate.
Yellow Agate Canary
This is a variety of agate that is characterized by being a diluted variety, for which the dispersed black melanin is minimal, in this way; the yellow lip chrome in combination with a very small amount of black melanin will make the canary have a yellow-green hue. This color will also stand out especially between the melanin pattern on the back and chest. This variety has a main defect, and that is that it tends to red.
Red Agate Canary
The main background color of this type of specimen is very similar to garnet (this color is due to the effect caused by the superimposition of the scattered black melanin remains on the red). This color can be seen perfectly on the chest and between the melanin patterns on the back it is uniform and bright.
Ivory Agate Canary
Ivory color is a recessive mutation, and is closely linked to sex. This mutation affects the plumage softening it. They differ from the yellow agate in the tone of the lip chrome, being those of these lighter and in general, the plumage is usually more silky and compact.
Ivory Red Agate Canary
In this case, the lip chrome of this type of agate is pale pink, with a bright and uniform hue.
In this case it also has a defect, which is that the feathers may be insufficiently pigmented or may even be completely yellow. In the case of contests, excess pigmentation will be penalized, which will give it a dirty pink tone with no apparent shine.
Dominant Silver Agate Canary
In this type of agate canary there is a partial absence of lip chrome, you can clearly see the melanin drawing of a dark gray hue along with a white background.
The main defect of this specimen is the excess of yellow color. Mainly in the shoulders and in the area of the upper edge of the rower feathers, if the specimens had a large amount of yellow lip chrome, the zero or minimum score. If the incrustations tend to be red, the horse will be penalized, and if they are red in excess, they could even disqualify it.
These specimens can achieve a maximum score in the section indicated as a category.
Recessive Silver Agate Canary
In this case, the canary has an appearance similar to the dominant silver agate, but in this case the absence of lip chrome is total, and therefore no encrustation can be seen. In this case, the skin color of this phenotype is bluish.
In competitions, specimens that do not have a clear silver background will be penalized. They can also get the highest score in the category section.
With this exhibition you will surely know what agate canaries are like and you will be able to distinguish them easily, in addition, you will be able to cross them and even participate in competitions with them, but remember that physically, the judges will look for an established type of perfection.
