History of Russian canary is numbering more than 3 centuries. Unfortunately, Russian canary with its unique song, with the best set of modulations, advanced and taken from the most outstanding singing birds of Russia is almost unknown in the world.
   In Moscow and other cities in Russia canaries were first brought in the 18^th century from Tyrol, Germany. Canary lovers in Russia liked their voice and songs. Before that they caged wild birds - goldfinches, siskins, woodlarks, tits, buntings, linnets, warblers, etc. in a while they started to keep wild birds and Tyrol canaries together. With pleasure, canary fans noticed that young male canaries are good reproducers of gentle wild birds' melodies. Russians loved Tyrol canaries because they mocked good-voiced birds easily. As a result of their ability to mock, easy to care for and breed, they became very popular. At that time Tyrol canaries had a loud voice. Russian breeders started to select new kinds of singing canaries with a gentle, melodic voice. They selected male birds, which sung with gentle, soft voices using different methods to teach them. As a result of observation, breeders made a conclusion that canaries reproduced bunting's trills the best. It was a big surprise that canaries showed the ability to improvise trills. Little by little breeders began to enjoy not only buntings', but also tits', woodlarks', and sandpipers' songs. Often that kind of canaries was called 'forest tuners". Later on because of great skills of imitation bunting's songs and singing with open beak, Russian canaries were called "bunting tuners". The bunting's tune was developed at the end of XIX century. Russian selectors taught Tyrol canaries to sing mocking native Russian wild birds songs. They taught canaries using also special flutes, organs, and other devices. At the beginning of XX century in Moscow singing canaries contests were established. That time the most popular were canaries from Pavlovo - on - Oka, Nizhniy Novgorod, Petersburg.