African Silverbill
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| iAfrican Silverbill | ||||||||||||||
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| Lonchura cantans (Gmelin, 1789) |
The African Silverbill (Lonchura cantans) is a small passerine bird formerly considered conspecific with the Asian species Indian Silverbill, Lonchura malabarica. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in drier areas of Africa just south of the Sahara Desert.
The African Silverbill is a gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds. It frequents dry acacia and thorn scrub. The nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree or under eaves, into which 5-10 white eggs are laid.
The African Silverbill is 10cm in length with a long black tail. The adult has a stubby silver-grey bill, finely vermiculated buff-brown upperparts, whitish underparts and dark wings. The sexes are similar, but immatures lack the vermiculations. This species has a chink call and a trilling song.
[edit] References
- BirdLife International (2004). Lonchura cantans. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1
