The northern grosbeak-canary or Abyssinian grosbeak canary is a species of passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. Its binomial name commemorates the explorer Arthur Donaldson Smith.
Region
Horn of Africa and adjacent East Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs in Ethiopia, Somalia, and northern Kenya, favoring semi-arid to arid landscapes. Typical habitats include Acacia–Commiphora bushland, thorn scrub, dry savanna, and rocky wadis. It also uses open country with scattered shrubs, field edges, and lightly grazed rangelands. Birds often forage near watercourses and around seed-rich grass patches.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2000 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also called the Abyssinian grosbeak canary, this finch has a notably thick, conical bill adapted to crack hard grass seeds. It is native to the Horn of Africa and is generally sedentary. The species was formerly placed in the genus Serinus and its epithet commemorates explorer Arthur Donaldson Smith.
Temperament
social and wary
Flight Pattern
undulating flight with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small flocks outside the breeding season, gathering at seeding grasses and water sources. During breeding, forms territorial pairs and builds a small cup nest low in shrubs or thorny bushes. Clutch size is typically two to four eggs, with both parents involved in care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of high, buzzy twitters and clear tinkling notes delivered from a shrub top or during short display flights. Calls include sharp chips and soft contact twitters within foraging groups.
Plumage
Sandy-brown to grey-brown upperparts with darker streaking; paler buffy underparts with fine breast streaks. Subtle pale supercilium and faint wing edging; tail dark with paler edges.
Diet
Primarily consumes seeds of grasses and forbs, using its robust bill to husk tough seed coats. Also takes buds and small quantities of green plant matter. In the breeding season, supplements the diet with small insects and larvae for added protein. Frequently ingests grit to aid seed digestion.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the ground and low shrubs in thorn scrub, open savanna, and semi-desert bushland. Often feeds along track edges, dry riverbeds, and around recently seeded or grazed patches where seeds are abundant.
