Green-winged pytilia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Green-winged pytilia |
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| Adult male, Tsavo East NP, Kenya | |
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| Female, San Diego Zoo | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Estrildidae |
| Genus: | Pytilia |
| Species: |
P. melba
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| Binomial name | |
| Pytilia melba (Linnaeus, 1758)
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| Synonyms | |
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Fringilla melba Linnaeus, 1758 |
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The green-winged pytilia (Pytilia melba) is a small, colorful bird. It loves to eat seeds! This bird belongs to the Estrildidae family. You can find it across much of Sub-Saharan Africa. It's less common in some central, southern, and western areas of the continent.
Contents
About the Green-Winged Pytilia
The green-winged pytilia is known for its bright feathers. Males often have more vibrant colors than females. These birds are quite small. They are usually found in grassy areas and woodlands. They often live near water sources.
What They Eat
Green-winged pytilias are mainly seed-eaters. They use their strong beaks to crack open seeds. Sometimes, they might also eat small insects. This helps them get all the nutrients they need. They often forage on the ground.
Where They Live
These birds are found in many parts of Africa. Their home range stretches across Sub-Saharan Africa. This includes countries like Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. They prefer habitats with scattered trees and bushes. They also like open grasslands.
Naming and Classification
Have you ever wondered how animals get their scientific names? This is called Taxonomy. It's the science of classifying living things. Scientists use a special system to name and group animals. This helps everyone around the world know exactly which animal they are talking about.
Who Named This Bird?
The green-winged pytilia was first officially described in 1758. A famous Swedish scientist named Carl Linnaeus gave it its first scientific name. He called it Fringilla melba. Linnaeus is known for creating the system we use today. This system gives every species two names.
Later, in 1837, another naturalist named William Swainson placed this bird in a new group. This group is called the genus Pytilia. The green-winged pytilia is one of several species in this genus.
Different Types of Green-Winged Pytilias
Just like there are different breeds of dogs, there are also different types of green-winged pytilias. These are called subspecies. Scientists recognize eight different subspecies of this bird. They often have slight differences in their looks or where they live.
Here are some of the recognized subspecies:
- P. m. citerior – Found from Mauritania to South Sudan.
- P. m. jessei – Lives in northeast Sudan to northwest Somalia.
- P. m. soudanensis – Found in southeast Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, and Kenya.
- P. m. percivali – Lives in central Kenya to northern Tanzania.
- P. m. belli – Found in eastern DR Congo and western Uganda to western Tanzania.
- P. m. grotei – Lives in eastern Tanzania, northern Mozambique, and eastern Malawi.
- P. m. hygrophila – Found in northern Zambia and northern Malawi.
- P. m. melba – The original subspecies, found from southern Congo and Angola to South Africa.
Images for kids
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Male, San Diego Zoo
 | Isaac Myers |
 | D. Hamilton Jackson |
 | A. Philip Randolph |
