From Opus

Alternative name: Common Grenadier

Uraeginthus granatinus

Granatina granatina

Photo by Mybs

Photographed: Matetsi Water Lodge, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Photo by Alan Manson
Location: Suikerbosrand NR, Gauteng Province, South Africa

[edit] Identification

Length 14 cm, mass 10-14 g.

Adult male: Rich chestnut crown and body, deep blue forehead and violet cheeks and ear coverts make the males unmistakable.

Adult female: Upper parts brown and under parts cream to fawn, forehead pale blue; also has violet cheeks and ear coverts.

Juvenile: Similar to the female, but paler, and without the blue forehead or violet cheeks and ear coverts.

[edit] Distribution

Southern Africa: North-eastern and north-central South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, southern Mozambique, Zambia, and southern Angola.

[edit] Taxonomy

Clements (2007) and Hockey et al. (2005) place the Violet-eared Waxbill and Purple Grenadier in the genus Granatina.

Three subspecies have been described:

• U. g. granatinus;
• U. g. retusus; and
• U. g. siccatus.

However, some authorities (Fry et al., 2004; Hockey et al., 2005) treat the species as monotypic.

[edit] Habitat

Thickets, woodland and savanna.

[edit] Behaviour

Feeds mainly on seed, taken both on the ground and from grass inflorescences; also eats insects. Drinks water where available, but distribution includes the central Kalahari, so surface water may not be required for survival.

Breeding: Monogamous and probably territorial. The nest is an oval ball of dry grass built by both sexes, 1-2 m above the ground in a shrub or tree. Two to seven eggs are laid, usually December to May. Parasitised by Shaft-tailed Whydah.

[edit] References

Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2008. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ & Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Robert's Birds of Southern Africa, 7th edition. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town, South Africa. ISBN 0620340533

Lepage D. 2008. Avibase. Search for "Uraeginthus granatinus" downloaded 1 July 2008.

Fry H, Keith S, Woodcook M & Willis I. 2004. Birds of Africa Vol VII: Sparrows to Buntings. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0713665319

[edit] External Links