African Chaffinch
Fringilla spodiogenys
The African Chaffinch (Fringilla spodiogenys) is a rare finches, euphonias, and alli found in 5 countries. The African chaffinch is a species of passerine bird in the genus Fringilla.
About the African Chaffinch
The African chaffinch is a species of passerine bird in the genus Fringilla. The African chaffinch is found from southern Morocco to northwestern Libya, and in Italy on the islands of Lampedusa and Pantelleria, off the Tunisian coast in the Strait of Sicily region; there is also an isolated population in northeastern Libya. It was formerly considered as two African subspecies of the Common chaffinch. Its habitat includes deciduous forests and lowlands, and during the nonbreeding season extends its habitat to open areas including weedy fields and olive groves.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The African chaffinch is a medium to large finch that is typically 13.8–18.5 cm (5.4–7.3 in) in length and weighs 21–24 g (0.74–0.85 oz). Males and females have different characteristics. The adult male has a blue-grey head with a small patch of black above the bill on the forehead, and a moss-green mantle (the mantle very distinct from the reddish-brown of Eurasian chaffinch, and also lacking the reddish cheeks of that species); its wings are black with two bold white stripes and white edges to the tertials and secondaries; the tail is blue-grey with white sides.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Gibraltar.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a passage migrant species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an African Chaffinch?
- The African chaffinch is a medium to large finch that is typically 13.8–18.5 cm (5.4–7.3 in) in length and weighs 21–24 g (0.74–0.85 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- Where can you see an African Chaffinch?
- The African Chaffinch occurs in 5 countries, including Morocco, Spain, Algeria and Tunisia.
- What birds look similar to an African Chaffinch?
- The African Chaffinch is most easily confused with the Canary Islands Chaffinch, the Madeira Chaffinch and the Tenerife Blue Chaffinch.
Learn the African Chaffinch for real
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