Assessment Task 3 Report

CULINL30IA Develop and use information literacy skills and ICAWEB20IA use social media tools for collaboration and engagement

Assessment Task 3

Report

What is your topic

The topic was Canaries (Serinus canaria domestica)

Why did you choose it?

My Dad has been socially breeding Canaries for many years and I wanted  to know more about them and I felt that if I had to make a blog I would make a blog that I could use and that I would keep on with.

A)     How did you decide what to look for?

Since my Dad could not help with details, I started at the beginning with a beginners guide to Canaries and expanded each area as I could find information at the library and on the web.  From this I started with the birds and what they eat, how they breed, and continued on to cages and aviaries, then I looked for health and even training your canary.

B)      What was your required outcome?

To get enough information to create a blog that was informative, educational, accurate and that I could be proud of.

What retrieval strategies did you apply?

Google

Used reference book

Which of the following tools were relevant and why?

Print

Books on canaries gave me a start but most of the books available at the State library were a bit out of date and only gave me directions and reference points.

Non print - specify what social media tools have used and why. Give a definition of social media tools

www                     I used the internet to find information and linked websites to my blog

facebook             I found three

The book I use was Canary Owner’s Guide by Landmark Press as well as sever web pagers all of which were backed up by my book or each other.

Which information agencies or internet sites did you use?

I used information agencies such as library to source printed information about canaries and Google to source web information. I search for canary blogs and Facebook pages.

Why?

To make sure the information on my blog was accurate and informative for people wanting to find out more about canaries.

How did you analyse/sort the information?

I grouped the information on my blog according to topics, to make it easier for the users to find the links/information.

Visitors could scroll through whole blog by clicking “Canary Birds” and scrolling down or view individual posts by clicking on blog archive and selecting heading topic.

Did you need to reassess or follow up?

I need to fix up my link accreditations.

I need to take of ‘The Martha Stewart Blog’ as there is not enough information on the topic in this blog.

I would like to do another a couple of posts to keep it going a little bit.

I could not work out the Facebook widget and need to go back and fix that up.

How have you recorded and managed your information?

I recorded information by putting in posts.

I have one side bar showing all the links divided into topics. I have a translator at the bottom, so users who do not speak English can also read my blog. I have a Germany follower.

Evaluate of blogging experience 
I enjoyed the blogging experience and would do it again.
I had four weeks to have the blog completed, so I gave myself one to two weeks to do all the posts. They were all initially in draft and I made them live gradually. I continued to tweak as I learnt more about blog how to set out blog and found more on the topic.
I had trouble with background because it did not look how I wanted it to look. I had a bit of trouble getting the pixels down to the right size. I changed it about four or five times until I was happy with background.
I have tried to do Facebook widget but Google blogger will not allow me to add. I am still working on how to fix this. I hope to also add a Twitter widget too.
It was fun looking at the stats and the overview to see how many people had visited my site every time I logged on. At last count it was 270 hits.

How To: Hand Tame a Canary (tips)

How To: Hand Tame a Canary (tips)

• Let the bird bite your finger so he gets more comfortable. Don't worry, it tickles!
• Give your bird lots of love.
• Don't rush the bird. Stay patient. Training birds can be very difficult.
• Give your bird daily time for exercise outside the cage daily after it is in the middle of training.
• Give the bird, 15 to 20 minute sessions each day to avoid the canary from losing interest.

TheBricksterable 2009 How To: Hand Tame a Canary, online video, 18 August 2009, accessed 5 June 2014, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYXYjHssyaY>.
This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information feeding your canary.   

Jordansmall, -, Harri, - & Teresa, - 2013 How to Train Your Canary, Wiki How, accessed 5 June 2014, <http://www.wikihow.com/Train-Your-Canary>.
This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information feeding your canary.   

Taming a Canary, 2003 Petcaregt.com, accessed 5 June 2014, <http://www.petcaregt.com/birdcare/Taming-a-Canary.html>.
 This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information feeding your canary.   

book

Brian, K 2006, Cannary ownwer's guide a guide to selection, houseing, care, nutrion,health,breebing and colour, 3 edn, About pets australian editon landmark press, Drouin, victoria.

this book is mediun to hight atherd as it was made for the cannary lovey and can be used buy any teen to old ages.

most of the links were back up with this book or other sites.

Canary Bird Facts

Warrior Squirrel 2010, Mr. Eyebrows., Photograph, Flicker, accessed 18 June 2014, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/squiddles/4913601427/in/gallery-120865971@N02-72157644594931117/>, Creative Commons license: <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/>.

• These birds belong to the finch family. 

• Canary birds are named after the islands from which they originate: the Canary Islands.

•  Canary birds were brought to the rest of the world through Spanish sailors in the 1600s.

•   When you buy a canary for sale, expect it to live between 5 and 9 years.

•  Canaries are also known as Serinus canaria, Island Canaries or Common Canaries.

• The canary has an average wingspan of 20-23cm.

• Canary birds usually weigh between 15g and 20g.

• The canary’s song is one of the most famous bird songs.

• Canary birds prefer to eat seeds, berries and small insects. 

 

Warrior Squirrel 2011, IMG_1046, Photograph, Flicker, accessed 18 June 2014, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/squiddles/5355802796/in/gallery-120865971@N02-72157644594931117/>, Creative Commons license: <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/>.

Types of Colour 

First, there are the three main breeds: color canaries, type canaries and song canaries. Then,there are the numerous varieties in each breed and there are many mixed breeds of canaries to choose from.

songs canaries

types canaries

colour canaries

 mutations

black variety

brown variety

agate variety

isabel variety

yellow variety

red variety

white variety

reacessive white variety

 All of these varieties evolved from a single ancestor, the wild canary (Serinus serinus) of the Canary Islands.

• All canaries sing,  Male canaries are the better singers  (always trying to impress the female canaries),

offspring finch with canary

In the case of the canary, the mule is a result of a female canary bred with a male finch, with the resulting offspring usually being sterile. Some examples of mules are goldfinch mule, the siskin mule and the greenfinch mule. Then there is the bull .as in male bullfinch. The male bullfinch is the opposite of the mule. it is the mating of a female bullfinch to a male canary.


here are some good links that tell will expent more about the varieties in the breeds.
 
 links

Canary Types..., 2010 CanaryAdvisor.com's, accessed 5 June 2014, <http://www.canaryadvisor.com/canary-types.html>.
This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information feeding your canary.   

Laminated Bird Posters, 2012 Ladygouldian.com, accessed 5 June 2014, <https://ladygouldian.com/content/option-contains-3-canary-posters-so-american-finches-poster-and-2-african-finches-posters-al>.
This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information feeding your canary.   

book

Brian, K 2006, Cannary ownwer's guide a guide to selection, houseing, care, nutrion,health,breebing and colour, 3 edn, About pets australian editon landmark press, Drouin, victoria.

this book is mediun to hight atherd as it was made for the cannary lovey and can be used buy any teen to old ages.

most of the links were back up with this book or other sites.
  

the annual cycle

The Breeding Season Australia

 Warrior Squirrel 2010, Parents feeding babies, Photograph, Flicker, accessed 4 June 2014, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/squiddles/4949263301>, Creative Commons license: <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/>.

 

The temperature does not matter.

Canaries need at least 12 hours of daylight to breed. It is all based on the sun or lights that you have on them. If you are trying to breed them indoors.I recommend that you get an aviary or full spectrum light for them.
Also make sure that you are feeding them (especially her) a proper diet. I suggest a good egg food mix.

The months of August to December are the most suitable for canary breeding in Australia. Birds in the Northern states may come into condition in August but in Southern states, September or October are more likely to be successful. 

Warrior Squirrel 2010, Canaries., Photograph, Flicker, accessed 4 June 2014, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/squiddles/4997616076>, Creative Commons license: <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/>.

Season End?

The canary breeding season is controlled by the number of daylight hours that the birds experience. Throughout most of the United States, if the birds' cages are kept covered from dusk to dawn, your canaries will most likely wish to breed sometime around Valentine's Day. The hen will let you know her intentions by furiously shredding any available paper, feathers, or plant material.

he answer is not exactly straightforward. Canary breeding season does NOT depend on the calendar. Instead, it depends on how long of a daylight period each day has. If you keep your bird cages covered from dusk until dawn here in the United States, your bird's breeding season will begin around min-February through March. The lengthening of the daylight period after the long nights of winter is what stimulates this change.

Keep in mind that it can take months for a change in the photoperiod to affect your bird. There are some clues you can watch for, though. Usually the hen will start to shred any available paper or other materials to make a nest. 

 

  Warrior Squirrel 2010, Bandit Baby Canary, Photograph, Flicker, accessed 4 June 2014, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/squiddles/4841885895>, Creative Commons license: <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/>.

The Moulting Season 

Molting is a stressful time for canaries. Egg mix can help your canary through a molt and give it some extra needed protein. 

Also, make sure you feed your canary a well-balanced diet with fruits and veggies (cantaloupe, broccoli, sweet potatoes, romaine lettuce, bananas, grapes, apples, apricots, squash, carrots, corn, peas, etc...).

In addition, there are more things you can do to help your canary during a molt. Make sure it gets enough sleep and has a quiet area so it can't be disturbed. Twelve hours a day of sleep is good for molting birds.

Gender

Canaries can be difficult to sex.  Males will start trying to sing at varying ages. My males usually start trying to sing by six weeks of age. Some hens sing too (though they usually start later in life), so this is not an entirely fool-proof method for determining the sex of a canary.

Phil, M Phil McIver 2007, Canaries, Photograph, Flicker, accessed 4 June 2014, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/philmciver/987432983>, Creative Commons license: <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/>.

Pairing

There are some general rules to follow when pairing certain types of canaries. For example, a crested bird (corona) should always be bred to a non-crested bird that is carrying the crest gene (consort). Red factor canaries should be bred intensive (non-frosted) x non-intensive (frosted). A bird that is frosted will have white tipping on its feathers and will usually appear lighter in color than an intensive. Canaries on the red line should be bred to other birds carrying the red gene and yellow birds are best bred to yellow or white ground birds. For the best colored young, red and yellow birds should not be bred together. White canaries which show a tinge of yellow on their wings (referred to as dominant white) should not be bred together or some of the babies may die. Mosaics should be bred to other mosaics, and excessively long feathered mosaics should be avoided. Melanin birds are those with a striped pattern to their feathers (example shown in the bird on the yellow seed cup pictured on this page). A clear bird (no stripes) paired to a melanin bird will produce variegated young. The hen pictured carrying nesting material on this page is a variegated canary.

Introductions

Canaries are generally bred in the spring. Males in top breeding condition will sing loudly and stomp back and forth on the perch while pouring forth their song. They may quickly throw their wings out. Hens will also engage in the throwing out of wings when in breeding condition. They often appear hyper and jump from perch to perch almost frantically. Hens will also carry nesting material (if available) and tear up the newspaper at the bottom of their cages if they can get to it. They may stuff whatever material they can find into seed cups in an effort to create a nest. Some hens will begin to lay eggs in seed cups or on the bottom of their cages.
Many canary breeders like to use divided cages to introduce a male and female. The hen is placed on one side with a little nesting material while the cock is placed on the opposite side with a plate full of greens and goodies. The nesting material encourages the hen to think of nesting, while the greens in the male's cage encourage the hen to beg the male for food. Once the male begins to feed the hen or "kiss" her through the bars, you can remove the wire divider and introduce the nest with more nesting material. When the hen is ready, she will invite the male to breed by peeping like a chick and simultaneously raising her back end. Some canaries will breed right away, while others may only breed in privacy or not at all. Some pairs will constantly fight and prove to be incompatible. If the hen fails to begin building a nest within a week or two, she may not like the male you have paired her with or she may not be ready to breed. In this case, separate the pair and try again in a couple weeks.
Some breeders remove the male after breeding and let the hen raise the chicks on her own. This is often done to maximize profit or genetics by breeding a single male to as many hens as possible. A hen can raise chicks on her own, but the chicks have a greater chance of surviving if their father helps to care for them. The father will feed the mother in the nest when the chicks are young, and the mother will then feed the chicks. Later, the father will take over parenting duties as the mother prepares a second nest. Occasionally I come across what I refer to as a "bum dad," essentially a canary father who will breed the hen but not feed his chicks. I usually part with these males quickly, as I do not want to genetically perpetuate this characteristic.

Equipment

Canaries use open nests. I buy the oversized plastic nests from . These can be washed and used year after year. I always sew a felt nest pad into the plastic nest before hanging it. I use small nylon cable ties to attach the nest securely. I hang the nest after introducing the male and female. Some breeders hang the nest in with the hen before introducing the male, but sometimes this encourages a hen to start laying before her eggs have been fertilized.
After hanging the nest, I supply the birds with 2 inch pieces of burlap and also the Sisal/coco/jute/cotton Quiko Nesting Material. I put some of this material in the nest and some on the bottom of the cage.

Laying

The hen usually lays from three to five eggs. First time and old hens might lay less eggs. The hen lays an egg each day until the clutch is complete. A hen may occasionally skip a day when laying. My hens regularly lay their eggs around 8:00 a.m. You can tell a hen is getting ready to lay by the swollen appearance of her abdomen. She may look as if she doesn't feel well. If this is the case, make sure the hen receives extra calcium by mixing it with her soft food. I always leave some form of calcium supplement in each of my bird's cages, but I add more calcium supplementation when the birds start breeding. I offer Petamine Breeding Formula, Miner-a-grit and cuttlebone. I sometimes shave cuttlebone with a cheese grater and mix these shavings with the laying hen's soft food. I also provide vitamins in the water during laying.

Setting

Setting refers to the time the hen gets serious about incubating her eggs. Hens do not usually sit on their eggs for any length of time on day one or two of laying. They usually set the nest on the third day of laying, although it can happen before or after the third egg is laid. Once a hen begins to sit tight, she will generally remain that way until her eggs hatch. She will only get up for bathroom and meal breaks. If she is with a male, he will often feed her in the nest. Most hens will remain sitting tight well past thirteen days after setting, which is when the eggs should begin to hatch.

Hatching

Don't fret if your eggs do not hatch in thirteen days. Sometimes it takes a few more days for eggs to hatch. However, you can get an idea of whether your eggs are fertile or not a week or so before they are due to hatch. Seven days after setting, I shine a small, strong flashlight on the eggs while they are in the nest. Eggs that look dark and solid are fertile, while those that look see-through are not.
Only shine the flashlight on the eggs for a few seconds at a time. Some eggs that appeared infertile to me upon first candling have hatched, so do not be dismayed if your eggs appear infertile. In this case, try candling the eggs around ten days after the hen has set them. If the eggs still appear see-through at ten days after setting, they are infertile and should be discarded.
Sometimes there will be an infertile egg among fertile ones. Many breeders leave the infertile egg in the nest or replace it with a fake egg. The egg will be used by the hatchlings to hold themselves up.

 Links

Canary Breeding FAQs, 2014 Red Factor Baby Canary, accessed 29 May 2014, <http://birdpoet.com/articles/Canary_breeding_FAQ.html>.

This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information the breeding cycle.


How to Breed Canaries, 2014 Mediawiki., accessed 29 May 2014, <http://www.wikihow.com/Breed-Canaries>.

This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information the breeding cycle.


Bob Buckles 2010, ‘Quickening The Molt’, Blog post, 3 September, accessed 29 May 2014, <http://canarytales.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/quickening-molt.html>.

This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information the breeding cycle.

Fancy canaiy, 2014 Weebly, accessed 29 May 2014, <http://www.fancycanary.com/breeding-tips.html>.
 

This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information the breeding cycle.

 
Frank Indiviglio 2010, ‘When Your Canary Molts – Care and Diet Tips’, Blog post, December 2010, accessed 5 June 2014, <http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatbirdblog/2010/12/07/when-your-canary-molts-care-and-diet-tips/#.U3yZYXaTK8A>.
This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information the breeding cycle.

Darrell, H 2000 Managing the Molt, Hogan, Linda. Canary Tales, accessed 5 June 2014, <http://www.westernwaterslager.com/text/Articles/Molt.htm>.

This site are of low authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information the breeding cycle.

 Robirda, - 2013 Basic canary care, -, accessed 5 June 2014, <http://robirda.com/cancare.html>.

This site are of low to medium authority, this sites are good for a older person who is looking for information the breeding cycle.

book

Brian, K 2006, Cannary ownwer's guide a guide to selection, houseing, care, nutrion,health,breebing and colour, 3 edn, About pets australian editon landmark press, Drouin, victoria.

this book is mediun to hight atherd as it was made for the cannary lovey and can be used buy any teen to old ages.

most of the links were back up with this book or other sites.