(Picture of subspecies. All sections now started. References updated) |
(Picture of female. Imp sizes. References updated) |
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==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | 12–14 cm<br /> | + | 12–14 cm (4¾-5½ in)<br /> |
'''Male''' | '''Male''' | ||
*Red forehead, cheek, chin and throat | *Red forehead, cheek, chin and throat | ||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
====Subspecies==== | ====Subspecies==== | ||
| + | [[Image:STH 5132.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Female, ssp ''soudanensis'' <br />Photo by {{user|volker+sthamer|volker sthamer}}<br />Lake Burunge, [[Tanzania]], September 2016]] | ||
''Pytilia melba'' has nine subspecies:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> | ''Pytilia melba'' has nine subspecies:<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup> | ||
*''P. m. citerior'' | *''P. m. citerior'' | ||
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Their main diet consists of seeds and insects, including termites. | Their main diet consists of seeds and insects, including termites. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| − | #{{Ref- | + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug16}}# [http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1962808 Birdforum thread] discussing the yellow variant of Green-winged Pytilia |
#Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved January 2015) | #Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved January 2015) | ||
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
Revision as of 21:58, 17 November 2016
Photo showing male (upper) and female (lower) taken: Mkhuze, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, May 2005
- Pytilia melba
Identification
12–14 cm (4¾-5½ in)
Male
- Red forehead, cheek, chin and throat
- Grey head and lores
- Yellowish-green upperparts
Variation: a yellow variant where the red in the plumage is replaced by yellow has been noticed in several areas, including the Horn of Africa and South Africa.
Distribution
Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East:
Western Africa: found in Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Zaire
Eastern Africa: Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland
Middle East: Arabian Peninsula, Yemen
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Pytilia melba has nine subspecies:[1]
- P. m. citerior
- Senegal to Burkina Faso, southern Chad, northern Cameroon and western Sudan
- P. m. jessei
- P. m. soudanensis
- P. m. flavicaudata
- P. m. grotei
- Eastern Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi and Zanzibar
- P. m. belli
- P. m. percivali
- P. m. melba
- Congo and DRC to south-western Tanzania, western Malawi and South Africa
- P. m. hygrophila
Habitat
Woodland and savanna.
Behaviour
Diet
Their main diet consists of seeds and insects, including termites.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Birdforum thread discussing the yellow variant of Green-winged Pytilia
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved January 2015)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Green-winged Pytilia. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Green-winged_Pytilia
