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*''S. f. guillarmodi' | *''S. f. guillarmodi' | ||
:*Lesotho highlands | :*Lesotho highlands | ||
| − | Larger than nominate; broader dark centres to crown and back feathers. Female: The sides of the face are darker grey than the nominate, and the throat and breast more heavily striped. | + | :*Larger than nominate; broader dark centres to crown and back feathers. Female: The sides of the face are darker grey than the nominate, and the throat and breast more heavily striped. |
| + | |||
Clements<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> recognises seven subspecies. | Clements<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup> recognises seven subspecies. | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Revision as of 08:55, 16 August 2008
- Serinus flaviventris
Crithagra flaviventris
Identification
Length 13-14 cm, 13-21 g.
Adult male(S. f. flaviventris): Forehead, eyebrows and cheeks yellow; crown, nape and mantle olive green with brown flecks. The eye-stripes, ear-coverts and sides of the neck are olive-khaki, and the malar stripes are olive-green. The back is olive-khaki and the rump and upper tail coverts greenish yellow. The tail and wings are dusky brown, feathers edged green or yellow. The underparts are a rich yellow; greenish yellow on the breast and greyish-yellow on the flanks. Bill horn with apinkish base; eyes, legs and feet brown.
'Adult female: Duller than the male; crown, nape, mantle and back are pale greyish olive, streaked brown; eye-stripes, ear-coverts and malar stripes greyish olive; eye-brows and lower cheeks buffy white. Rump and upper tail coverts yellowish olive. Throat, breast and flanks buffy white with brown streaks.
Similar species: The Yellow-fronted Canary has a more brightly contrasting yellow rump, duller yellow underparts, a white-tipped tail, and is smaller. Brimstone Canary is larger with a heavier bill and green (not yellow) forehead; more green overall. White-throated Canary is similar to the female Yellow Canary, but larger, has a heavier bill, is less streaked, and the yellow-green rump contrasts more with the greyish-brown back and mantle.
Distribution
Southern Africa: Lesotho, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and south-western Angola. Introduced to the island of St. Helena.
Taxonomy
There are four subspecies:2
- S. f. flaviventris
- Western and southern South Africa and southern Namibia
- S. f. marshalli
- Highveld (high-altitude plateau) of east-central South Africa and lowlands of western Lesotho
- Male has lemon-chrome rump and underparts and greenish-tellow crown.
- S. f. damarensis
- North-central SOuth Africa, Botswana, Namibia and south-western Angola.
- Yellower upperparts than nominate, face markings less contrasting, and rump lemon-chrome.
- S. f. guillarmodi'
- Lesotho highlands
- Larger than nominate; broader dark centres to crown and back feathers. Female: The sides of the face are darker grey than the nominate, and the throat and breast more heavily striped.
Clements1 recognises seven subspecies.
Habitat
Shrublands, semi-arid savanna, fynbos. Also thickets of alien Acacia, gardens, dune vegetation, coastal wetlands and beaches with seaweed.
Behaviour
Conspicuous; in flocks when not breeding, sometimes with other granivores. Forages on the ground and in forbs and shrubs, eating flowers, seeds, nectar, insects and small crustaceans.
Breeding
Monogamous and probably territorial. The nest is built by the female in as little as three days using a variety of plant material. Two to five eggs are laid and incubated for 12-16 days by the female.
References
- Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533
- Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
