Domestic canary In the UK, this practice ceased in 1986. Typically, the domestic canary is kept as a popular cage and aviary bird. Given proper housing and care, a canary's lifespan ranges from 10 to 15 years. The birds are named after Spain's Canary Islands, which derive their name from the Latin "Insula Canaria" (after one of the larger islands, Gran Canaria), meaning "island of dogs", due to its "vast multitudes of dogs of very large size". Canaries are generally divided into three main groups: While wild canaries are a yellowish-green colour, domestic canaries have been selectively bred for a wide variety
Kingdom of the Canary Islands Kingdom of the Canary Islands The Kingdom of the Canary Islands was founded in 1404, although it had always recognized another country as their overlord. Its purpose was probably entirely to conquer the Canaries, and to eventually be fully incorporated into the Crown of Castile when complete. Apart from earlier contact by Romans, one of the first known Europeans to have encountered the Canaries was the Genoan navigator Lancelotto Malocello. He arrived on the island of Lanzarote, (which was probably named after him), in 1312 and stayed for almost two decades until he was expelled during a revolt by the