How do you identify a Lesser Seedcracker?

The lesser seedcracker grows to a length of about 14 cm (5.5 in). Full identification notes are on this page.

How big is a Lesser Seedcracker?

The Lesser Seedcracker is a small sized bird weighing about 19 g.

Where can you see a Lesser Seedcracker?

The Lesser Seedcracker occurs in 5 countries, including Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

What does a Lesser Seedcracker sound like?

You can listen to a field recording of the Lesser Seedcracker on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.

What birds look similar to a Lesser Seedcracker?

The Lesser Seedcracker is most easily confused with the Crimson Seedcracker and the Black-bellied Seedcracker.

Is the Lesser Seedcracker endangered?

The Lesser Seedcracker is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Lesser Seedcracker

Pyrenestes minor

Munias, Parrotfinches, Waxbills, and Allies · Passeriformes · Legendary

The Lesser Seedcracker (Pyrenestes minor) is a legendary munias, parrotfinches, waxbills, and alli found in 5 countries, weighing about 19 g. The lesser seedcracker or Nyasa seedcracker is a fairly common species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa.

Least ConcernLegendaryEats seedsforestdome nest19 g

Lesser Seedcracker (Pyrenestes minor), photo 1 — Photo: (c) William Stephens, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0

About the Lesser Seedcracker

The lesser seedcracker or Nyasa seedcracker is a fairly common species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 925,000 km2 (357,000 mi2) and is found in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified the species as being of least concern.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The lesser seedcracker grows to a length of about 14 cm (5.5 in). The male plumage is brown tinged with olive, apart from the forehead, crown, side of face, chin, throat and upper breast which are bright red, and the rump and central tail feathers which are deep blood red. The underparts are paler than the upper parts. The female is similar but has a smaller area of red on the face and crown. The short, broad beak is black, the brown eye is surrounded by a white eye ring, and the legs are greyish-brown or dark grey. The juvenile is similar to the adults but the colours are more muted.

What the Lesser Seedcracker sounds like

Recording: Stephen Lowe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via xeno-canto

Where it lives

Tanzania Malawi Zimbabwe Mozambique

Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa.

When to see it

Best months: January, March, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in October. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Lesser Seedcracker?: The lesser seedcracker grows to a length of about 14 cm (5.5 in). Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Lesser Seedcracker?: The Lesser Seedcracker is a small sized bird weighing about 19 g.
Where can you see a Lesser Seedcracker?: The Lesser Seedcracker occurs in 5 countries, including Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
What does a Lesser Seedcracker sound like?: You can listen to a field recording of the Lesser Seedcracker on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
What birds look similar to a Lesser Seedcracker?: The Lesser Seedcracker is most easily confused with the Crimson Seedcracker and the Black-bellied Seedcracker.
Is the Lesser Seedcracker endangered?: The Lesser Seedcracker is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Lesser Seedcracker for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

Play BeakBrain

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