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Fringillidae
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Crithagra
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Drakensberg Siskin Crithagra symonsi Scientific name definitions

Peter Clement
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated June 25, 2013

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

13–14 cm; 11–16·8 g. Small to medium-sized, drab finch. Male has forehead to nape and side of neck dull yellowish-green, finely streaked darker; short, indistinct olive-yellow supercilium to behind eye and thin crescent below eye; lores dark grey, becoming dull olive-green with yellow streaks on cheek and ear-coverts; mantle, scapulars and back dark rust-brown, indistinctly streaked darker, upper rump grey-brown, becoming olive-green on lower rump, uppertail-coverts dark brown, fringed pale greyish-buff in fresh plumage; tail black or blackish, outer feathers with white inner web; upperwing dull brown, median coverts finely fringed dull greenish-yellow, greater coverts and remiges dull dark brown to blackish with ash-grey or pale buffish fringes; chin and throat greenish-yellow, breast olive-green with yellow tinge, washed brown at side, becoming yellower on lower breast, pale brown on flanks and warmer brown on lower flanks; centre of belly to undertail-coverts pale buff or whitish; iris brown; bill dark horn or brownish, paler base of lower mandible; legs pale brown. Differs from C. totta mainly in lack of white tips on flight-feathers and tail feathers. Female is similar to male, but head browner, upperparts duller brown, and crown to back more heavily streaked darker brown; chin and throat pale buff or whitish, streaked dark brown or blackish, streaks continuing to upper breast and flanks, breast to undertail-coverts buffish-brown, or paler buff from belly downwards. Juvenile resembles female but duller, more heavily streaked on head to breast and flanks, underparts paler buff, except for dark brown lower flanks.

Systematics History

Formerly considered conspecific with C. totta. Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Lesotho and EC South Africa (NE Free State, W KwaZulu-Natal and NE Eastern Cape).

Habitat

Lower montane and submontane heathland, scrub and grassy areas on plateau, hillsides and valleys of Drakensberg range, usually above 2600 m; in non-breeding season in open bushes, scrub and edges of cultivation of lower-level ravines, gulleys and valleys, down to 1500 m.

Movement

Altitudinal migrant; descends to lower levels and valleys in non-breeding season and during cold or wet summers.

Diet and Foraging

Mainly a variety of seeds, buds and small insects. Seeds and buds include those of grasses and proteas, also Schkuhria pinnata, Taraxacum officinale, Sonchus oleraceus, Galinsoga parviflora, Capsella bursapastoris, Sisymbrium capensis, Stellaria media, Chrysocoma tenuifolia, Oxalis pescaprae, Cyperus esculentus, Echinochloa colona, Echinochloa crusgalli, Panicum schinzii, Panicum maximum, Rhynchelytrum repens and Salvia splendens, also flowerhead of Erythrina; insects taken include termites (Isoptera). Forages on the ground and in low shrubs; generally tame and approachable. In pairs and small flocks; often associates loosely with C. flaviventris and Serinus alario.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song, given for prolonged periods throughout day in breeding season, a lively jumble of buzzing "cheez" notes interspersed with metallic chirps. Calls include "schwee", "jer-chweet" and a 3-note "jer-chweet-chweet", together with calls similar to those of C. totta.

Breeding

Season Nov–Jan. Probably monogamous, solitary and territorial. Nest a neat, shallow cup of dry grasses, plant fibres, leaves and animal hair, placed in rock crevice, pothole or hole in cliff, rock face or bank, usually concealed by overhanging plant, exceptionally in bush. Clutch 2–4 eggs, white or pale greenish-blue, finely speckled and spotted reddish-brown or slate-grey; incubation by female alone, period 17–19 days. No other information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not globally threatened. Restricted range species: present in Lesotho Highlands EBA. Common to locally common.
Distribution of the Drakensberg Siskin - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Drakensberg Siskin

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Clement, P. (2020). Drakensberg Siskin (Crithagra symonsi), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.drasis2.01
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