African quailfinch
African quailfinch | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Estrildidae |
Genus: | Ortygospiza |
Species: | O. atricollis
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Subspecies: | O. a. fuscocrissa
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Trinomial name | |
Ortygospiza atricollis fuscocrissa (Heuglin, 1863)
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The African quailfinch, spectacled quailfinch, or white-chinned quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis fuscocrissa), is a common species of estrildid finch found in eastern and southern Africa. Some taxonomists consider it to be conspecific with the black-faced quailfinch, others consider all three species to be conspecific.
Description[]
The African quailfinch is 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length and weighs 9-14 grams (0.3-0.5 ounces). It is small and compact with dark grey underparts, barred breasts and flanks, and an orange-buff central belly. The feathers around its eye and on its chin are white. Breeding males have a red bill, while the bills of females and non-breeding males have a brown upper mandible and a red lower mandible. The female is paler than the male and has less distinctive barring.[1]
Voice[]
It calls a tinny "chink-chink" when in flight.[1]
Distribution and ecology[]
The African quailfinch is found in East and southern Africa.[2] It inhabits grassland and weedy areas, especially near water. It eats seeds, filamentous algae, insects, and spiders.[1][2]
Subspecies[]
The following subspecies are accepted:[2]
- O. f. fuscocrissa – Eritrea and Ethiopia
- O. f. muelleri – Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe
- O. f. smithersi – Zambia
- O. f. pallida – Botswana and Zimbabwe
- O. f. digressa – Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa
Gallery[]
male female skin nest
References[]
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.7. Downloaded from [1]
External links[]
- Quail Finch/Black-faced quailfinch - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
- Ortygospiza
- Birds of Africa
- Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa
- Birds described in 1863
- Birds of East Africa
- Taxa named by Theodor von Heuglin