Northern Grosbeak-Canary Crithagra donaldsoni Scientific name definitions

15–15·5 cm; 16–27 g. Large finch with large head, stout bill and slightly notched tail. Male has forehead to nape and upperparts to lower back greenish-yellow, finely streaked darker on crown, and with blackish-brown centres and paler green or greenish-yellow edges on feathers of mantle, back and scapulars; sides of lower forehead and broad supercilium bright yellow, rest of face olive-green but for small yellow crescent beneath eye and oval yellow patch on lower ear-coverts; rump and uppertail-coverts bright yellow; tail dark brown, finely edged green or greenish-yellow on outer feathers; upperwing-coverts dark brown, edged pale buff or yellowish, median and greater coverts tipped broadly yellow; alula and primary coverts dark brown, latter finely fringed pale yellow, flight-feathers dark brown, finely edged buffish or yellowish on secondaries and tertials; throat and underparts almost entirely rich yellow except for olive-green side of breast, and sometimes dark streaks on flanks, palest yellow on lower belly to undertail-coverts; iris dark brown or black; bill pale flesh or pinkish-orange, paler base of lower mandible; legs brown. Differs from C. buchanani mainly in much better-marked face pattern, bright yellow rump and white lower belly and ventral area; from C. sulphurata in slightly larger size and less dark plumage, heavier upperpart streaking, brighter yellow rump and slight streaking on flanks. Female slightly smaller-billed and less bright, has greenish-yellow of head and upperparts (except yellow on rump and uppertail-coverts) replaced by buffish-brown, tips of median and greater wing-coverts pale buff, dark brown tail finely edged pale yellow, supercilium and cheek patches pale buff, underparts whitish or off-white, with dark brown malar stripe, heavily streaked dark brown on breast and flanks. Juvenile is similar to female, but more buffish-brown on face and side of head, lacks cheek patch and moustachial stripe, may be greyer on upperparts and/or more heavily streaked on underparts.

EC & S Ethiopia, Somalia and N & C Kenya.

Lowland dry savannas, acacia (Acacia) thorn-scrub, semi-desert scrub and arid bush; avoids coastal areas. At 370–1790 m in Ethiopia; 200–1600 m in NW Kenya.

Resident or partially nomadic. In non-breeding season wanders throughout range in search of foraging areas; possibly only irregularly S of 1°30' N.

Mainly grass seeds and variety of weed seeds, also small acacia fruits. Forages on ground and in trees. Singly and in pairs; occasionally in small flocks in non-breeding season.

Song, usually from prominent perch, a rapid series of "seu" notes repeated up to 20 times, may also be interspersed with sweet, short and fairly metallic, rising or upslurred "sreeeet-wriseet-seew-sreet-wreet-sew-sreet-wreet", also a dry, ringing, monotonous "tri-tri-tri-tri-tri-tri..." trill; otherwise usually silent, except for drawn-out "seep", "pee-chu" or loud "suweer" or "tweea".

Season Jun–Nov, also Mar. Solitary. Nest undescribed; clutch 2 eggs. No further information.

Not globally threatened. Uncommon to scarce; local.