Oriole finch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oriole finch |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Linurgus
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| Species: |
olivaceus
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The oriole finch (Linurgus olivaceus) is a small passerine bird. It belongs to the finch family. This colorful bird lives in Africa.
You can find oriole finches in many countries. These include Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. They prefer to live in warm, wet montane forests. These are forests found in mountain areas.
What Does the Oriole Finch Look Like?
Male and female oriole finches look different. The male is very striking. He has a black head and a bright yellow body. His flight feathers (the long feathers on his wings) are black. He also has a strong, bright yellow-orange beak. This beak is shaped like a cone.
The female oriole finch is not as bright. She is a dull greenish-olive color. However, she also has black flight feathers. Her beak is yellow, just like the male's.
The Oriole Finch Family Tree
The oriole finch was first described in 1843. A British zoologist named Louis Fraser gave it the scientific name Coccothraustes olivaceus. Later, in 1850, a scientist named Ludwig Reichenbach created a new group, or genus, called Linurgus. The oriole finch is the only species in this group.
Scientists are still studying how the oriole finch is related to other finches. It is a unique bird in the finch family.
Different Kinds of Oriole Finches
There are four known types, or subspecies, of the oriole finch:
- L. o. olivaceus: This type is found in the Cameroon line region.
- L. o. prigoginei: This subspecies lives in the Albertine Rift montane forests.
- L. o. elgonensis: You can find this type near the Imatong Mountains, in Kenya and Uganda.
- L. o. kilimensis: This subspecies lives in northern Malawi and Tanzania.
