Grey-headed Silverbill
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| Grey-headed Silverbill | ||||||||||||||
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| Lonchura griseicapilla (Delacour, 1943) |
The Grey-headed Silverbill Lonchura griseicapilla also known as Peal-headed Mannikin is a species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Tanzania. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 400,000 km². It is sometimes placed in the genus Odontospiza as Odontospiza griseicapilla.
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[edit] Characteristics
[edit] Identification
The Grey-headed Silverbill is a stocky bird with a grey head studded with white dots. Its body greyish- brown, partly black wings and tail, white rump. The juvenile can be told by its white rump.
Adult male is approximately 11.5 cm in length with wing length 6.5 cm.
[edit] Habitat
The Grey-headed Silverbill is commonly found in dry savanna habitat but never too far awat from water.
[edit] Behavior
The Grey-headed Silverbill is gregarious, moving in small flocks and often mixing with African Silverbill.
[edit] Food
The Grey-headed Silverbill feeds mostly on grass seeds. But it has been suggested that the species also feed on insects which are more a source of moisture than dry seeds.
[edit] Movement
The Grey-headed Silverbill wanders widely, influenced by weather and shifting availability of sources of water.
[edit] References
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- Munias and Mannikins by Robin Restall, ISBN 1-873403-51-8

