The Canary Islands were named after what kind of animal?

It's a common misconception that this Atlantic archipelago's name has anything to do with the small yellow songbird. The title actually comes from the Latin word for dog, *canis*. When Roman-era explorers first documented the chain of islands off the coast of northwestern Africa, they reportedly found one of the main islands to be overrun with large, fierce dogs. They named it *Insula Canaria*, which translates to "Island of the Dogs." This is the same root that gives us the English word "canine."

The historical account was recorded by the Roman author Pliny the Elder. He credited the discovery and naming to an expedition sent by King Juba II of Mauretania around 40 BCE. The powerful native dogs, believed to be ancestors of the modern Perro de Presa Canario breed, made such a strong impression on the explorers that the name was applied to the entire island group and has stuck ever since.

So where do the famous birds fit in? The roles are actually reversed from what many assume. The wild canary, a type of finch native to the islands, was named after its homeland (Review). When European sailors brought the cheerful songbirds back to the continent, they became known by their place of origin, forever linking the birds to the islands that were originally named for their dogs.