STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE

The first two essentials of a Border Fancy Canary are type and quality.  The

general appearance is that of a clean cut, compact, proportional, close feathered

canary, showing no tendency to heaviness, roughness or dullness,  but giving

the impression of fine quality and symmetry throughout.

                                                                                                                                                          Points

Position &          Gay, jaunty, with full poise of the head standing at an ideal  

Carriage:           angle of 60 degrees.                                                                                       15

Body:                The profile when viewed to the side will have a well filled and

                        rounded body showing no heaviness with a curve to the chest

                        and back in harmony running in a straight downward curve to

                        the root of the tail. Viewed from above the shoulders shall be in

                        balance with the depth of body showing a nicely rounded bird

                        from all angles.  Splits in the chest feathering to be avoided.                             15

Colour:             Rich, soft, and pure, as level in tint as possible throughout, but

                        extreme depth and hardness such as colour feeding gives are

                        debarred.  Any exhibit showing the effects of colour feeding will

                         be disqualified.                                                                                                   15

Head &Neck:   Head, well rounded and neat when viewed from any angle, beak

                        fine, eyes clear and positioned to rest on an imaginary line drawn

                        as an extension to the line between the upper and lower mandible

                        of the beak, very slightly forward of a central point of the head.

                        Neck in keeping with the head, showing a distinguishing break

                        between head and shoulder.  The size of the head should be in

                        balance with the body. Cuts or openings in the feathering

                        between the head and the body should be avoided.                                            10

Wings:             Compact and carried close to the body, covering the back, with a

                        full compliment of primary and secondary flight feathers meeting

                        at the tips.  Outer flight tips to meet at the root of the tail.

                        Primaries and secondaries to be pointed.                                                            10

Plumage:          Close, firm and fine in quality, presenting a smooth, silken glossy

                        appearance, free from browiness, frill or roughness and cuts or

                        splits in the chest and neck feathers.                                                                   10

Health:             Condition and cleanliness shall be essential.                                                     10

Legs &Feet:     Must be of  sufficient length and showing thigh all in harmony

                         with the size of the bird allowing it to adopt a gay jaunty stance.  

                         Feet in keeping with the legs, both to be clean and without blemish.                     5

Size:                  The ideal length from the top of the head to the tip of the tail is five

                         and three quarter inches (53/4’’ or 14.61cm).  Length should be in

                         proportion and balance with other features of the bird.                                          5

Tail:                    Close packed and narrow, being nicely rounded and well filled in at                    5

                          the root.                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                          Total  100    

.