- Ortygospiza atricollis
Includes Black-faced Quailfinch
Identification
9.5-10cm. Males - black face and brown breast. Females are lighter in these areas. Juveniles similar to the female but have fainter barring and a darker bill.
Distribution
Most of Africa south of Sahara; Senegal east to western Cameroon, southern Sudan to Angola and south to South Africa.
Taxonomy
This species has six-nine subspecies divided into two groups which are sometimes viewed as two species:1,2
- Black-faced Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) with subspecies atricollis, ansorgei, and ugandae
- African Quailfinch (Ortygospiza fuscocrissa) with subspecies fuscocrissa, muelleri, smithersi, pallida, and digressa
The photo by Leon is of the latter form.
Habitat
Open areas with patchy grass growth, near water, sandy grassland, marsh, farms and croplands, and recently mowed areas.
Behaviour
The diet includes small grass seeds and on occasional spiders or insects.
A dome-shaped nest of grass stems and blades is built on the ground. 4-6 white eggs are laid and incubated by both parents.
Vocalisation
The call is a metallic trillink or chwillink while the song is a series of click, clack, cluck notes delivered rapidly and repeatedly.
References
- Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
- Gill F & Wright M. 2008. Birds of the World: Recommended English Names. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ, USA. 2006. ISBN 9780691128276 Update (2008) downloaded from http://worldbirdnames.org/names.html.
