African Silverbill
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| African Silverbill | ||||||||||||||
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| Lonchura cantans (Gmelin, 1789) |
The African Silverbill (Lonchura cantans) is a small passerine bird formerly considered conspecific with the Asian species Indian Silverbill, Lonchura malabarica. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in drier areas of Africa just south of the Sahara Desert.
The African Silverbill is a gregarious bird which feeds mainly on seeds. It frequents dry acacia and thorn scrub. The nest is a large domed grass structure in a tree or under eaves, into which 5-10 white eggs are laid.
The African Silverbill is 10cm in length with a long black tail. The adult has a stubby silver-grey bill, finely vermiculated buff-brown upperparts, whitish underparts and dark wings. The sexes are similar, but immatures lack the vermiculations. This species has a chink call and a trilling song.
Reference
- Birds of The Gambia by Barlow, Wacher and Disley, ISBN 1-873403-32-1