canary

Everyday

1. A small yellow songbird often kept as a pet. tree →
2. A bright yellow colour (canary yellow). tree →
3. Something that gives an early warning of danger (a canary in a coal mine). tree →

In the lessons

In science and pets: canaries sing and come from the Canary Islands. In history and safety: miners took canaries underground; if the bird got sick, the air was dangerous, so they left. Phrase: the canary in the coal mine = an early warning sign.

Examples

• Our canary sings every morning. tree →
• Canaries need clean water and seeds. tree →
• She wore a canary yellow raincoat. tree →
• Miners used canaries to detect bad gas. tree →
• Falling bee numbers are a canary in the coal mine for nature. tree →
• The cat stared at the canary in its cage. tree →

Note

Plural: canaries (y to ies). The Canary Islands were named after dogs (Latin «canis»), not the birds; the birds were named after the islands.