Trumpeter finch

Trumpeter finch
On Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Genus: Bucanetes
Species: B. githagineus
Binomial name
Bucanetes githagineus
(Lichtenstein, 1823)
Synonyms

Rhodopechys githaginea

Bucanetes githagineus amantum MHNT

The trumpeter finch (Bucanetes githagineus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.

This bird breeds in the Canary Islands, across north Africa, and in the Middle East and into central Asia. There is a small European population in southern Spain. Many birds are largely resident, but there is post-breeding dispersal, and some Asian breeders migrate into Pakistan for the winter.

In the summer of 2005 there was a notable eruption of this species into northwestern Europe, with several birds reaching as far as England.

Stony desert or semi-desert is favoured for breeding. Four eggs are laid in a nest in a rock crevice.

This gregarious terrestrial finch's food is mainly seeds, and, particularly in the breeding season, insects.

The trumpeter finch is a small, long-winged bird. It has a large head and short, very thick bill. The summer male has a red bill, grey head and neck, and pale brown upper parts. The breast, rump and tail are pink, the last having dark terminal feathers. Winter males, females and young birds are a very washed-out version of the breeding male. The song of this bird is a buzzing nasal trill, like a tin trumpet.

Phylogeny

It has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al.[2]

Taxonomy

This species has been genetically included in a group of Arid-Zone Carduelini finches, which comprises the following taxa: Leucosticte arctoa tephrocotis, Leucosticte arctoa arctoa, Carpodacus nipalensis, Rhodopechys githaginea, Rhodopechys mongolica.[3][4][5]

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Bucanetes githagineus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Arnaiz-Villena, A; Zamora J; Ernesto L; Ruiz-del-Valle V; Moscoso J; Serrano-Vela JI; Rivero-de-Aguilar J (2006). "Rhodopechys obsoleta (desert finch): a pale ancestor of greenfinches(Carduelis spp.) according to molecular phylogeny". Journal of Ornithology 147 (3): 448–456. doi:10.1007/s10336-005-0036-2.
  3. ↑ Arnaiz-Villena, A; Moscoso J; Ruiz-del-Valle V; González J; Reguera R; Ferri A; Wink M; Serrano-Vale JI (2008). "Mitochondrial DNA Phylogenetic Definition of a Group`of "Arid-Zone" Carduelini Finches". The Open Ornithology Journal 1: 1–7. doi:10.2174/1874453200801010001.
  4. ↑ Arnaiz-Villena, A.; Guillén, J.; Ruiz-del-Valle, V.; Lowy, E.; Zamora, J.; Varela, P.; Stefani, D.; Allende, L. M. (2001). "Phylogeography of crossbills, bullfinches, grosbeaks, and rosefinches". Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 58 (8): 1159–1166. doi:10.1007/PL00000930. PMID 11529508.
  5. ↑ Arnaiz-Villena, A; Gómez-Prieto P; Ruiz-de-Valle V (2009). "Phylogeography of finches and sparrows". Nova Science Publishers. ISBN 978-1-60741-844--3.

External links