Female © Markus Craig
Male © Василий Калиниченко
Female © Markus Craig
Male © Lutz Duerselen
+ 3
Female © Barry Reed
Male © John Sterling

African Chaffinch Fringilla spodiogenys

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Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

Dapper little finch endemic to northern Africa, where it inhabits a range of habitats, from forested hills and canyons to coastal parks and gardens. Handsome male has a blue-grayish hood, bright white eye crescents, green back, pinkish throat and breast, and a black-and-white wing pattern (colors muted in winter). Female much drabber but shares male pattern; especially note the complex wing pattern. Both sexes have white outer tail feathers, often striking in flight such as when flushed. Song is a buzzy descending series of trills and rattles; calls include a somewhat sparrow-like “dwee!”

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