African chaffinch
| African chaffinch | |
|---|---|
| Male, Morocco | |
| Female, Tunisia | |
Not assessed
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Fringillidae |
| Genus: | Fringilla |
| Species: | F. spodiogenys
|
| Binomial name | |
| Fringilla spodiogenys Bonaparte, 1841
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Fringilla coelebs spodiogenys | |
The African chaffinch (Fringilla spodiogenys) 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 a subspecies of the Eurasian chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). Its habitat includes deciduous forests and lowlands, and during the nonbreeding season extends its habitat to open areas including weedy fields and olive groves.
The diet of the African chaffinch is similar to the Eurasian chaffinch, mostly eating small invertebrates and their larvae, as well as many flowers, seeds, and buds.