Atlantic canary [SEP] parent taxon
Atlantic canary
The Atlantic canary ("Serinus canaria"), known worldwide simply as the wild canary and also called the island canary, canary, or common canary, is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus "Serinus" in the finch family, Fringillidae. It is native to the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira. Wild birds are mostly yellow-green, with brownish streaking on the back. The species is common in captivity and a number of colour varieties have been bred.
This bird
El Hierro, previously thought to belong to this taxon, are now recognized as, at least, a distinct subspecies, the Western Canary Islands goldcrest "R. (r.) ellenthalerae" (Päckert "et al.", 2006), which evolved from an independent colonisation of the islands.
References.
- Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Päckert, Martin; Dietzen, Christian; Martens, Jochen; Wink, Michael & Kvist, Laura: Radiation of Atlantic goldcrests "