Red-headed finch
| Red-headed finch | |
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| A male red-headed finch | |
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| Species: | A. erythrocephala
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| Binomial name | |
| Amadina erythrocephala (Linnaeus, 1758)
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The red-headed finch (Amadina erythrocephala) (also known as the paradise finch or the red-headed weaver) is a common species of estrildid finch found in Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 1,600,000 km2. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Males have vibrant red heads and chests while the females are duller. The resemblance to the cut-throat finch is unmistakable. The red-headed and cut-throat finch are the only members of the genus Amadina. Amadinas with their heavy beaks resemble members of the Lonchura, so they are actually more closely related to the Pytilias such as the Melba finch.[2]
Origin
Origin and phylogeny has been obtained by Antonio Arnaiz-Villena et al..[3] Estrildinae may have originated in India and dispersed thereafter (towards Africa and Pacific Ocean habitats).
Habits
Often seen in small flocks on dry savannahs, the red-headed finch is a ground feeder which feeds companionably with other species and often visits waterholes. It has a distinctive double-noted chuck-chuck call.[4]
References
- ^ Template:IUCN
- ^ [1]
- ^ Arnaiz-Villena, A; Ruiz-del-Valle V; Gomez-Prieto P; Reguera R; Parga-Lozano C; Serrano-Vela I (2009). "Estrildinae Finches (Aves, Passeriformes) from Africa, South Asia and Australia: a Molecular Phylogeographic Study" (PDF). The Open Ornithology Journal. 2: 29–36. doi:10.2174/1874453200902010029.
- ^ Newman, K. Newman's Birds of Southern Africa. ISBN 1-86812-278-6. p. 428.
- Newman, K. Newman's Birds of Southern Africa. ISBN 1-86812-278-6. p. 428.
External links
- Species factsheet - BirdLife International
- Breeding information - eFinch
- Species text - The Atlas of Southern African Birds
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