Why Is My Male Canary Sitting in His Food Dish

Pet canaries sometimes do strange things that don't make sense to us. If you're asking 'Why Is My Male Canary Sitting in His Food Dish', we talk about it here.

Canary Warmth

There could be a few reasons why your male canary is sitting in his food dish.

Your bird's behavior could be due to illness, molting, or old age.

It is possible that he is simply trying to stay warm, as birds will sometimes tuck themselves into small, enclosed spaces to conserve heat. But if it's a relatively neutral temperature, room temperature, where your bird is kept, that is probably not the issue.

Sick Canary

Alternatively, he may be feeling sick or stressed, which will make him, again, try to get warm but also get some comfortable rest.

Also, if he's not feeling well he may be seeking the comfort of a familiar and secure location.

Other symptoms of a sick canary include sitting on the bottom of the cage, fluffed up feathers, eyes closed, and lack of energy.

Also, watch for unusual droppings like runny or discolored droppings.

Deep Molting

Although, it's not completely normal, if your canary is deep into the molt, he may simply be looking for a comfortable place to rest and save energy.

A bird that is older might be more likely to sit in his food dish because the molt can be a little harder on older birds.

In addition to that, a bird that has some sort of underlying illness may also have difficulty with the annual molt.

What Can You Do About A Male Canary Sitting in His Nest?

It's always a good idea to provide warmth for a canary when he's is acting with lower than usual energy.

Low energy is a common sign of sickness.

Canaries seem to do best at around 85 degrees Fahrenheit and even up to 95 can help a sick bird stay warm.

Not to worry though if your bird is healthy. A pet canary that has no health issues can remain healthy and energetic in a broad range of temps such as 50F to 100F.

Try draping a heating pad across one side of the cage and see if your bird stays near it in an attempt to stay warm.

Keep your pet canary in an area that is not too noisy and has low activity so he can rest.

It might be wise to provide a nest.  A hen obviously might be exhibiting nesting behavior. But even if you're confident that your pet canary is a MALE, you might still want to provide him with a nest just so he can get out of his food dish and into a more comfortable spot to relax.

For more info on how to help a sick canary see The Canary Lover Guide To A Happy Healthy Canary.