African crimson-winged finch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids African crimson-winged finch |
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The African crimson-winged finch (scientific name: Rhodopechys alienus) is a cool bird that lives in the mountains of North Africa. It's a type of finch, which means it's related to sparrows and canaries. This bird is found in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and Algeria. For a long time, people thought it was just a type of Asian crimson-winged finch, but now we know it's its own special species!
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What Does It Look Like?
This finch is about 13 cm (5.1 in) long, which is about the size of a small sparrow. Its wings can spread out to about 32 cm (13 in) wide.
- It has light brown feathers all over its body.
- Its belly is mostly white.
- It has a black cap on its head.
- You'll see pretty pink patterns on its wings and tail.
- It has a thick, yellowish beak.
Female finches look a bit less colorful than the males.
Where Does It Live?
The African crimson-winged finch loves rocky mountainsides. It often lives in very high places where there isn't much plant life. Sometimes, it even builds its nest inside cracks in the rocks!
This bird lives in two main areas:
- The High Atlas mountains in Morocco.
- The Aurès Mountains in north-east Algeria.
What Does It Eat?
These finches mostly eat seeds. When winter comes, they fly down from the mountains in groups. They look for food in farm fields.
Family Life
When it's time to have babies, the female finch lays about 4 or 5 eggs. These eggs are blue with a few light speckles. The mother bird then sits on the eggs to keep them warm until they hatch.
How Is It Special?
The African crimson-winged finch has some unique features that make it different from its Asian relatives.
- African birds have a grey-white chin and throat with a hint of pink. They also have a thin brown band across their chest. Asian birds have a solid brownish color in these areas.
- The brown marks on the chest and sides are not as big on African finches.
- African birds have less black on their heads, especially the males. The black is often just on the front part of their head.
- Male African finches also have less pink on their upper tail feathers. They don't have black spots on the sides of their chest, and less clear black marks on their back and near their ears. They also have almost no red on their face.
