Finches and canaries are often kept in isolation despite being highly social species, leading to welfare problems that are frequently overlooked due to their small size and perceived hardiness.
The assumption that small birds need less social contact than larger parrots is a significant welfare misconception. Finches and many canary varieties are obligately social, suffering measurably when kept alone without conspecific contact. The single greatest welfare improvement for isolated companion finches is providing appropriate social companionship - preferably same-species pairing or small groups with adequate space.