In the competition the beauty of timbre, the presence and quality of execution of main (obligatory) and additional tours, and plan (the order of execution) are estimated. For rough, unpleasant sounds (special classification exists) the mark is reduced up to removal of the bird from the competition. A song should be melodious and completed. Pauses and unfinished songs are not permitted.
      In a contest, the canary is judged one by one. Each cage is placed on a table when the bird is judged. There must be artificial light in the room and the room should not have any windows. Each canary is judged for 10 minutes.In that period the canary must try it's best. Each canary is judged by a team (odd number, at least three judges).
      The Russian canary song is scored on a 70-point system. The number of points a bird receives is calculated as a sum of averages for each tour (for each particular tour scores from each judge are summarized and divided by number of judges). A bird with 37 - 44 points is good, between 45 and 50 is very good, and with 51 - 60 points is excellent. Once in a while there is a bird with a score more than 54 points.
      The competitions on canary singing started in Russia in the middle of 19th century. Nowadays every year the ex-USSR competitions now are hold in Moscow on the first decade of December, in Kiev(Ukraine) on the second decade of December, and in Minsk (Belorus) on the third decade of December.