Africa Wild Bird Book

Discussions and information on all Southern African Birds
Michele Nel
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:19 am
Country: South Africa
Location: Cape Town
Contact:

Brimstone Canary

Post by Michele Nel »

877. Brimstone Canary (formerly known as Bully Canary) Crithagra sulphurata, Serinus sulphuratus (Dikbekkanari)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Fringillidae

Brimstone Canary.jpg
Brimstone Canary.jpg (30.89 KiB) Viewed 1373 times

Description
The Brimstone Canary is 15–16 cm in length with a heavy bill, which is short, conical and very stout at the base. The bill is light brown with a pinkish or yellowish base. The legs and feet are pinkish-brown. It has yellow-green upperparts with dark green streaking, yellow-green ear coverts and malar stripe, and two yellow wing bars. The underparts are yellow, with a greenish wash on the flanks, and breast.
The sexes are similar, but the male is brighter, with a bigger bill, better defined face pattern, brighter yellow wing bars and a greenish rump.
Young birds are duller, greyer and less yellow below than the adults.
Northern birds are paler more yellow.
Southern birds (in the Western and Eastern Cape) are more dull olive-green with dark streaked upperparts. They differ from the Yellow Canary in lack of white edges to wing coverts, and their dark crown extends to the base of the bill. Yellow Canary has a supercilium that is much longer and does not narrow so quickly behind the eye.
Similar species: The Brimstone Canary can be confused with the Yellow-fronted Canary, but that species is smaller billed with a much more defined head pattern and a bright yellow rump.

Distribution
Occurs in patches from Uganda through southern and eastern DRC, Tanzania, Angola and Zambia to southern Africa. Here it is fairly common in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and eastern and southern South Africa, from Limpopo Province south to KwaZulu-Natal and west to the Western Cape.

Image

Subspecies
There are three subspecies.
C. s. sulphuratus is the nominate race of southwestern and southern Cape Province.
C. s. wilsoni of eastern Cape Province to southern Mozambique is smaller, relatively smaller billed, and paler or more yellowish green than the nominate form. The underparts are entirely yellow.
C. s. sharpii of northern Mozambique to Kenya is smaller and paler or more yellowish green than the nominate form. Its bill size is intermediate between the other two races.

Habitat
It generally prefers thickets, edges and clearings in coastal forest, montane shrubland, old croplands, gardens and edges of alien tree plantations.

Diet
It mainly eats seeds and fruit supplemented with insects and nectar, doing most of its foraging on the ground and in the vegetation of trees and bushes.

Breeding
Monogamous, territorial usually solitary nester, although it may breed in loose colonies of up to 6 nest spaced 5-20 m apart. The nest is built solely by the female, consisting of a cup of grass, fine twigs, weed stems, tendrils from everlastings (Helichrysum), leaf petioles, roots and hair and lined with plant down, wool, seed appuses and other soft material. It is typically placed in the fork of a bush or tree with sparse foliage, such as tall Euphorbia and alien pine trees (Pinus), anywhere from about 1-6 m above ground. Egg-laying season is from July-March, peaking from August-October. It lays 2-4 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for about 12.5-17 days, while the male regularly feeds her at the nest. For the first four days the chicks are fed by the female with food provisioned by the male, after which both sexes feed them. The young eventually leave the nest at about 14-21 days old, remaining dependent on the adults for food for some time afterwards.

Call
Sustained trills and whistles interspersed with harsh chirrups and chirrs. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Fairly common resident.


Michele Nel
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:19 am
Country: South Africa
Location: Cape Town
Contact:

Brimstone Canary Photos

Post by Michele Nel »

877. Brimstone Canary Crithagra sulphurata (Dikbekkanari)

Image

Image
Kirstenbosch, Cape Town

Links:
Biodiversity Explorer: http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/bir ... uratus.htm
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brimstone_Canary


User avatar
nan
Posts: 26304
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:41 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Central Europe
Contact:

Streaky-headed Seedeater

Post by nan »

881. Streaky-headed Seedeater Crithagra gularis (formerly known as Serinus gularis) (Streepkopkanarie)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Fringillidae

Image © nan
Addo Elephant National Park

Description
Size: 13-14 cm. The broad, whitish eyebrow stripe is the most distinctive feature. The adult has brown upperparts with some faint streaking and a plain brown rump. The head has a finely white-streaked crown, dark face, and white supercilium and chin. The underparts are warm buff. The sexes are similar, but some females show a little breast streaking.
The juvenile has less head streaking, a dull supercilium, more heavily streaked upperparts, and heavy streaking on the pale grey underparts.
Similar species: Distinguished from White-throated Canary by its finely streaked, grey-and-white crown and by the brown-streaked, not plain greenish yellow rump. Differs from Black-eared Seed-eater in lacking the streaked breast and distinct black ear patches.

Distribution
Although it has an isolated population in Angola, it mainly occurs in southern Africa from Zimbabwe, eastern Botswana and Mozambique to South Africa, excluding most of the Northern Cape, Free State and North-West Province.

Image

Habitat
Mixed woodland and scrub.

Diet
It mainly eats flowers, buds, seeds, nectar, fruit and insects, doing most of its foraging on the ground and in the foliage of forbs, grasses, shrubs and small trees, often joining mixed-species foraging flocks.

Breeding
Monogamous, solitary or loosely colonial nester, as it sometimes forms small groups with little if any territoriality. The nest is probably built solely by the female, consisting of a cup of dead leaves, grass, bark, twiglets, dead seedheads, textiles and paper, lined with fluffy seeds or other plant down. It is typically placed in the upright or horizontal fork of a bush or tree, among Bitter aloe (Aloe ferox) leaves or in a cluster of pine cones. Egg-laying season is from September to March. The female lays 2-4 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for about 12-15 days. The chicks are brooded by their mother for the first 5 days or so of their lives, and are fed by the female with food provided by the male. They leave the nest at about 17 days old, but they remain dependent on their parents for food for some time.

Call
Its call is a soft tseee, and the song is a wit-chee-chee-chee-cha cha cha cha chip, interspersed with mimicry of other species. There is also a tweu tweu tirrirrit-tink given in display flight. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common resident.


Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
User avatar
nan
Posts: 26304
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:41 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Central Europe
Contact:

Streaky-headed Seedeater Photos

Post by nan »

881. Streaky-headed Seedeater Crithagra gularis

Image © nan
Addo Elephant National Park

Image © Michele Nel
Garden Route National Park, Wilderness, Ebb and Flow

Image © BluTuna
Marakele National Park

Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2
Newman's birds of Southern Africa


Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
User avatar
Tina
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 8:34 pm
Country: germany
Contact:

White-throated Canary

Post by Tina »

879. White-throated Canary Crithagra albogularis, formerly Serenius albogularis (Witkeelkanarie)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Fringillidae

White-throated Canary.jpg
White-throated Canary.jpg (24.72 KiB) Viewed 1417 times

Description
Length 13,5-15 cm. Heavy-billed, greyish canary with yellow rump. Sexes alike. Above greyish brown, streaked dusky ; rump bright greenish yellow to lemon yellow; eyebrow and throat white (diagnostic, contrasting with grey of head and breast); breast light grey, shading to pinkish buff belly and white undertail; tail notched. Bill heavy and horn, paler below. Iris brown. Legs and feet blackish brown
Juvenile: Similar to adult, but rump olive yellow.
Similar species: The White-throated Canary might be confused with the Protea Canary which also shows a white throat patch. However, this species has a greenish or yellow rump which the Protea Canary lacks. The female Yellow Canary is similar to but smaller than the male White-throated Canary, and also has a smaller bill and streaking on the breast which the White-throated Canary lacks.

Distribution
Near-endemic to southern Africa, occurring from south-western Angola through Namibia to South Africa, in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape as well as in the Free State and Swaziland.

Image

Habitat
It generally prefers semi-arid and arid shrubland, sparse woodland along drainage lines, rocky hillside with scattered tall shrubs, coastal strandveld and gardens in Karoo villages. Usually near water.

Diet
It mainly eats seeds supplemented with fruit and insects, foraging both on the ground and in the foliage of bushes and trees.

Breeding
Monogamous, usually solitary nester, although it may form loose colonies with a few nest spaced 30-40 m apart. The nest is built solely by the female, consisting of a loosely built cup of twigs, dry grass and forb stems, lined with the fluffy seeds of Karoo rosemaries (Eriocephalus), milkweeds (Asclepias) and pappuses of daisy flowers, sometimes with wool and feathers as well. It is typically placed in an upright or horizontal fork of a tall shrub or small tree. Egg-laying season is mainly from August-October in South Africa, although in semi-arid areas it is probably year-round, corresponding to rainfall. It lays 2-5 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for about 14-18 days. The chicks are fed by both parents on a diet of regurgitated insects and seeds, leaving the nest after about 16 days.

Call
A distinctive deep skweeyik callnote; song usually fairly short phrases of jumbled trilling and warbling notes with harsh nasal frrra interspersed, weetle weetle frrra weetle frree tee chipchipchip, highly variable; pauses between phrases usually very short.

Status
Common, near endemic resident; nomadic at all times.


10.03. - 24.03.2015 From Berg to bush
19.11. - 01.12.2015 KTP
User avatar
Tina
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 8:34 pm
Country: germany
Contact:

White-throated Canary Photos

Post by Tina »

879. White-throated Canary Crithagra albogularis

Image
West Coast National Park, Western Cape

Links:
Species text Sabap1: http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/879.pdf
Sabap2
Peter clement: Finches and Sparrows
Newman's Birds of Southern Africa


10.03. - 24.03.2015 From Berg to bush
19.11. - 01.12.2015 KTP
Michele Nel
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:19 am
Country: South Africa
Location: Cape Town
Contact:

Cape Canary

Post by Michele Nel »

872. Cape Canary Serinus canicollis (Kaapse Kanarie)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Fringillidae

Cape Canary.jpg
Cape Canary.jpg (32.9 KiB) Viewed 1419 times

Description
The Cape Canary is 11–13 cm in length. The mustard yellow face and chin, grey hind crown and nape, and lack of bold facial markings distinctive.
The adult male has a green back with black edging to the wing feathers wings and tail. The underparts, rump and tail sides are yellow, and the lower belly is white. The rear head and neck are grey, and the face is cinnamon. The adult male is distinguished from the female by a more intensive yellow headcolour (sometimes with a touch of orange), a more bright grey from the neck and more black outer wing feathers and more contrast and markings at the wing-tips.
Males can be told apart from drab females by a mustard-yellow forecrown, face and throat.
The female is similar, but with a less grey on the head.
The juvenile has greenish-yellow underparts with heavy brown streaking.
It shares its range with six other ‘yellow’ canaries, but the golden face and grey head of the male distinguish it from the others. The less boldy marked females and streaky juveniles may be confused with those of other canaries. This species is easily distinguished from the Yellow-fronted Canary by its lack of black face markings, having a yellow forehead and crown, and by the greater amount of grey on the nape encompassing the sides of the neck. The juvenile differs from the female Yellow Canary by having its greenish yellow underparts overlaid with heavy brown streaking.

Distribution
Endemic to southern Africa, occurring in Zimbabwe's eastern highlands and adjacent Mozambique as well as in western Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa, from Limpopo Province south to KwaZulu-Natal and west through the Free State and the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape.
There is an isolated population in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe which constitutes the subspecies S. c. griseitergum.

Image

Taxonomy
Three subspecies are recognised:
Serinus canicollis canicollis; south-western Cape to western Free State and southern KwaZulu-Natal.
Serinus canicollis thompsonae; Lesotho, eastern Free State and northern KwaZulu-Natal to Limpopo Province. Its headcolour goes to orange.
Serinus canicollis griseitergum; eastern Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique highlands. S.c.griseitergum is a more greenish colour and the back is more striped.

Habitat
It generally prefers montane grassland with scattered shrubs an patches of Ouhout (Leucosidea sericea), open savanna, Protea woodland, borders between drainage line woodland and Karoo shrubland, coastal dunes, edges of cultivated land and occasionally alien thickets of Port Jackson (Acacia saligna) and Rooikrans (Acacia cyclops).

Diet
It almost exclusively eats seeds, either taken directly from plants or plucked from bare patches of the ground.

Breeding
Monogamous and usually a solitary nester, although it sometimes forms loose colonies with up to 12 nests in a few adjacent trees. The nest is built almost entirely by the female in roughly 2-3 weeks, consisting of a thick-walled cup of tendrils, especially from everlastings (Helichrysum), also with lichens, leaf petioles, mosses, rootlets, small twigs, pine needles and sometimes pieces of rags, string, wool and cotton. The interior is lined with the hairy and downy pappuses of seeds, fluffy Karoo rosemary (Eriocephalus) seeds, other plant down, hair, feathers and wool. The rim of the structure is always made of rootlets, and is used by the chicks to deposit faeces (a unique behaviour of canaries). It is typically placed in a vertical fork or a horizontal branch of a bush or tree, which in the Western Cape is more frequently an introduced species rather than an indigenous one. Egg-laying season is from about August-February, peaking from October-December. It lays 1-5 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for about 12-16 days, while the male regularly feeds her at the nest. The chicks are brooded by their for the first two days of their lives while the male feeds all of them, after which the female remains on the nest to protect the nestlings from rain or sun by standing with wings outstretched. They eventually leave the nest after about 15-19 days and after two days or so are able to fly, after which they still remain dependent on their parents for some time.

Call
Sustained series of loud and fast jumbled warbles, trills and twitters. Call note trilled chiv-v-v-v. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Common endemic. The Cape Canary is South Africa’s most common canary.


Michele Nel
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 10:19 am
Country: South Africa
Location: Cape Town
Contact:

Cape Canary Photos

Post by Michele Nel »

872. Cape Canary Serinus canicollis

Image © Michele Nel

Image © Michele Nel
Male

Image © Michele Nel
Male Serinus canicollis canicollis

Image © Tina
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden

Links:
Species text Sabap1
Sabap2
Biodiversity Explorer: http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/bir ... collis.htm
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Canary
Ian Sinclair: SASOL VOELS VAN SUIDER AFRICA (3de UIT)
Newman's birds of Southern Africa


User avatar
Tina
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 8:34 pm
Country: germany
Contact:

Black-headed Canary

Post by Tina »

876. Black-headed Canary Serinus alario (Swartkopkanarie)
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Fringillidae

Black-headed Canary.jpg
Black-headed Canary.jpg (22.25 KiB) Viewed 1370 times

Description
Length 12 cm, mass 11-13 g. A striking canary with bold colouration.
Adult male (S. a. alario): Head, neck, chin, throat and centre of upper breast black, extending in an inverted 'V' to the lower breast; belly, centre of lower breast, flanks, and sides of the upperbreast white; back, rump, tail and wing coverts chestnut.
Adult female: Grey head, throat and breast, and white belly; chestnut back, tail and wing coverts.
The juvenile resembles the female, but is paler, has streaking on the breast, and a weaker wing bar.
Similar species: The all-black head distinguishes it from Damara Canary Serinus leucolaemus

Taxonomy
Damara Canary and Black-headed Canary previously two races, now both with full species status (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993). But Serinus alario and S. leucolaema have been lumped into one species S. alario by other authorities following Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993).

Distribution
The Black-headed Canary is a southern African endemic species, largely confined to the Karoo biome, occurring from central Namibia to the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape, the Free State and Lesotho.

S. a. leucolaemus: s Namibia and nw and wc South Africa PS Taxonomic status of "Damara Canary" uncertain.
S. a. alario: w, c South Africa, Lesotho

Habitat
It generally prefers arid to semi-arid shrublands on rocky slopes, coastal karroid shrubland, alpine and sub-alpine grassland, perennial desert grassland with scattered trees and bushes, road verges, old croplands and Karoo village gardens.

Breeding
Monogamous and probably a solitary nester, although pairs may breed within 10-50 metres of each other. The nest is built solely by the female in about 4-6 days, consisting of a shallow deep cup of dry grass, fine twigs and bark strips from Lammerlat (Asclepias buchenaviana) and honey-thorns (Lycium) lined with the fluffy seeds of Karoo rosemaries (Eriocephalus) or other downy or cottony plant material. It is typically placed close to ground in a shrub (such as Crassula) or a small tree, often near a ditch or small rock face. Egg-laying season is almost year-round, peaking from about July-November. It lays 2-5 eggs, which are incubated solely by the female for about 13-14 days (recorded in captivity). The chicks are fed by both parents, leaving the nest in captivity after roughly 19-20 days.

Diet
Forages on the ground and in shrubs, trees and grasses for seeds; also eats buds, petals, fruit and termites.

Call
The call is tswee-tswee. The song is canary-like.

Status
Common endemic resident.
Not threatened, although its range seems to have contracted in the Western Cape and Botswana (where it is no longer present), it is in demand for the cage bird trade and is not particularly well represented in protected areas


10.03. - 24.03.2015 From Berg to bush
19.11. - 01.12.2015 KTP
User avatar
Tina
Posts: 1819
Joined: Sun May 26, 2013 8:34 pm
Country: germany
Contact:

Black-headed Canary Photos

Post by Tina »

876. Black-headed Canary Serinus alario

Image © Tina
Male, Tankwa Karoo National Park, Elandsberg

Image © Tina
Male and female, Tankwa Karoo National Park, Elandsberg

Links:
Sabap2: http://sabap2.adu.org.za/spp_summary.ph ... &section=3
Newman's Birds of Southern Africa
Peter Clement: Finches and Sparrows
Biodiversity Explorer: http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/bir ... alario.htm
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-headed_Canary
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-headed_Canary


10.03. - 24.03.2015 From Berg to bush
19.11. - 01.12.2015 KTP
Post Reply

Return to “Birds”