Grey-headed silverbill

Grey-headed silverbill
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Estrildidae
Genus:	Spermestes
Species:	S. griseicapilla
Binomial name
Spermestes griseicapilla (Delacour, 1943)
Synonyms
Odontospiza griseicapilla Lonchura griseicapilla

The grey-headed silverbill (Spermestes griseicapilla), also known as pearl-headed mannikin, is a species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, and Tanzania. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 400,000 km². It was formerly usually placed in the monotypic genus Odontospiza as Odontospiza caniceps and sometimes placed in the genus Lonchura.

Description

The grey-headed silverbill is a stocky bird with a grey head studded with white dots. Its body is greyish-brown with partly black wings and tail and a white rump. The juvenile can be told by its white rump. Adult male is approximately 11.5 cm in length with wing length 6.5 cm.

Habitat

The grey-headed silverbill is commonly found in dry savanna habitat but never too far away from water. It wanders widely, influenced by weather and shifting availability of sources of water.

Behavior and ecology

The grey-headed silverbill is gregarious, moving in small flocks and often mixing with African silverbill.

Food and feeding

The grey-headed silverbill feeds mostly on grass seeds. But it has been suggested that the species also feed on insects which are more a source of moisture than dry seeds.

References

• BirdLife Species Factsheet
• Munias and Mannikins by Robin Restall, ISBN 1-873403-51-8

External links

• Pearl-headed Mannikin Species Profile