Lesser seedcracker: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Species of bird}}

{{Taxobox

{{speciesbox

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = <ref name=IUCN"iucn status 12 November 2021">{{IUCNcite iucn |author=BirdLife International |iddate=227193892016 |title=''Pyrenestes minor'' |assessorvolume=BirdLife International2016 |assessor-linkpage=BirdLife Internationale.T22719389A94625359 |versiondoi=201310.22305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22719389A94625359.en |year=2012 |accessdateaccess-date=2612 November 20132021}}</ref>

| regnumgenus = [[Animal]]iaPyrenestes

| species = '''''P. minor'''''

| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]

| binomial_authorityauthority = [[George Ernest Shelley|Shelley]], 1894

| classis = [[bird|Aves]]

| ordo = [[Passeriformes]]

| familia = [[Estrildidae]]

| genus = ''[[Pyrenestes]]''

| species = '''''P. minor'''''

| binomial = ''Pyrenestes minor''

| binomial_authority = [[George Ernest Shelley|Shelley]], 1894

}}

The '''lesser seedcracker''' or '''Nyasa seedcracker'''<ref name=Clement/> ('''''Pyrenestes minor''''') is a fairly common species of [[estrildid finch]] found in eastern [[Africa]]. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 410{{convert|925000|km2|mi2|-3|abbr=on}} and is found in [[Malawi]],000&nbsp;km² [[Mozambique]], [[Tanzania]] and [[Zimbabwe]]. The [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] has classified the species as being of [[Least-concern species|least concern]].

==Description==

It is found in [[Malawi]], [[Mozambique]], [[Tanzania]] and [[Zimbabwe]]. The [[IUCN]] has classified the species as being of [[least concern]].

The lesser seedcracker grows to a length of about {{convert|14|cm|in|1|abbr=on}}. The male plumage is brown tinged with olive, apart from the forehead, crown, side of face, chin, throat and upper breast which are bright red, and the rump and central tail feathers which are deep blood red. The underparts are paler than the upper parts. The female is similar but has a smaller area of red on the face and crown. The short, broad beak is black, the brown eye is surrounded by a white eye ring, and the legs are greyish-brown or dark grey. The juvenile is similar to the adults but the colours are more muted. This species could be confused with the [[black-bellied seedcracker]] but the two species do not share a common range.<ref name=Clement>{{cite book|author=Clement, Peter |title=Finches and Sparrows |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8XitjjeymKQC&pg=PA343 |year=2010 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4081-3530-3 |pages=343–344}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat==

This is a resident but somewhat uncommon species and occurs in southern Tanzania, eastern Zimbabwe, southern Malawi and northern Mozambique. It is found in upland forests, at altitudes of between {{convert|725|and|1800|m|ft|-2|abbr=on}}, both in high rainfall areas and in forest margins in drier areas, in ''[[Brachystegia]]'' woodland, clearings, scrubby areas and areas of rank vegetation, often near watercourses.<ref name=Clement/>

==Behaviour==

The lesser seedcracker is a mostly resident species, but is a partial [[Bird migration|migrant]] in eastern Zimbabwe. It usually forages in pairs low in the undergrowth, or sometimes on the ground, feeding on grass and other seeds, including [[rice]] and the large hard seeds of the bamboo ''[[Olyra latifolia]]''.<ref name=Clement/><ref name=hbwa/> Breeding takes place between December and March in Malawi and Zimbabwe, and between March and May in Mozambique.<ref name=hbwa>{{cite web |url=https://www.hbw.com/node/61119 |title=Lesser Seedcracker (''Pyrenestes minor''). |author=Payne, R. |date= |work=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive |publisher=Lynx Edicions, Barcelona |access-date=16 July 2019}}</ref>

==Status==

The lesser seedcracker has a very wide range. It faces no particular threats and the population is stable, so the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] has assessed its conservation status as being of "[[Least-concern species|least concern]]".<ref>[http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=8619&m=0 Lesser Seedcracker ''Pyrenestes minor''] BirdLife International species factsheet</ref>

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*[http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=8619&m=0 BirdLife International species factsheet]

*[http://sabap2.adu.org.za/docs/sabap1/455.pdf Species text in ''The Atlas of Southern African Birds'']

{{Taxonbar|from=Q930270}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:seedcracker, lesser}}

[[Category:Pyrenestes|lesser seedcracker]]

[[Category:Birds of East Africa]]

[[Category:Birds described in 1894|lesser seedcracker]]

[[Category:Birds of Southern Africa]]

[[Category:Taxa named by George Ernest Shelley|lesser seedcracker]]

{{Estrildidae-stub}}