The Damara canary (Serinus alario leucolaema) is a small passerine bird in the finch family.

Damara canary
Male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Subfamily: Carduelinae
Genus: Serinus
Species:
Subspecies:
S. a. leucolaema
Trinomial name
Serinus alario leucolaema
(Sharpe, 1903)

Taxonomy

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The taxonomic status of this bird is uncertain. It is listed by the International Ornithologists' Union as a subspecies of the black-headed canary (Serinus alario).[1]

Description

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The Damara canary is 12–15 cm in length. The adult male has rich brown upper parts and tail, a white hind collar and mainly white underparts. The head pattern is striking; whereas the male black-headed canary has a solidly black head and central breast, the Damara canary has a white supercilium, and a white throat and foreneck with a black moustachial stripe. The black of the central breast is therefore separate from the black of the head.

The adult female is similar, but has a dull grey head, and is dark-streaked on the head and upper parts. It has a rich brown wing bar. The female is similar to the female black-headed canary, but shows faint traces of the male head pattern. The juvenile resembles the female, but is paler and has streaking on the breast and a weaker wing bar.

Distribution and habitat

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It is a resident breeder in South Africa, Namibia and southern Botswana. It is sometimes placed in the genus Alario as Alario leucolaema, and some authorities treat it as a subspecies of the black-headed canary (Serinus alario). Its habitat is dry open scrub and grassland, the edges of cultivation, and suburban gardens.

Behaviour

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The Damara canary is a common and gregarious seed-eater, forming flocks of up to 200 birds. Its call is a low tseett, and the male's song is a jumble of unmusical notes.

References

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  1. ^ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David (eds.). "Finches, euphonias". World Bird List Version 5.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
  • Ian Sinclair, Phil Hockey and Warwick Tarboton, SASOL Birds of Southern Africa (Struik 2002) ISBN 1-86872-721-1
  • Clement, Harris and Davis, Finches and Sparrows ISBN 0-7136-8017-2