Brown-rumped Seedeater Crithagra tristriata Scientific name definitions

13 cm; 12–19·5 g. Smallish, drab finch with conical bill. Has forehead and crown dull brown, indistinctly streaked darker (sometimes white tips on lower forehead), long, broad white supercilium from base of upper mandible to rear of ear-coverts; lores dark brown, becoming slightly paler brown on cheek, ear-coverts and side of neck, sharply demarcated from sides of chin and throat at moustachial line (where may show some small dark spots); nape and upperparts uniformly brown, or slightly darker brown on rump and uppertail-coverts, tail also dark brown; upperwing dark brown, median and greater coverts tipped slightly paler brown, alula, primary coverts and flight-feathers dark brown, fine paler buff edges on secondaries and tertials; centre of chin and throat white, underparts buff or washed dull grey-brown, centre of belly to undertail-coverts white, undertail-coverts with dark centres; iris hazel-brown or red-brown to dark brown; bill horn-coloured or pale pinkish-horn, often with duskier culmen; legs flesh-brown. Sexes alike. Juvenile is similar to adult, but crown more clearly streaked, mantle and scapulars streaked, underparts buffish with short dark brown streaks.

Eritrea, N & C Ethiopia and N Somalia.

Lower montane and montane scrub, juniper (Juniperus) woodland, undergrowth and scrub, and open mixed deciduous and juniper woodland, on rocky hillsides; also in large gardens, and common within suburbs and centre of Addis Abeba, in Ethiopia. At 1060–3300 m.

Resident and partially nomadic; small numbers may wander within range in search of foraging areas in non-breeding season.

Mostly small seeds of small plants, including herbs and small shrubs. Forages in undergrowth, bushes, low trees and on ground; in pairs and small flocks.

Breeds throughout year. Monogamous. Solitary; territorial. In head-up and tail-up display, male and female fluff out and ruffle loose plumage; male also presents female with nest material. Nest a neat cup of fine dry grasses, plant fibres, animal hair, wool and cobwebs, usually on horizontal branch in bush or tree, most frequently in juniper. Clutch 3 eggs, greenish-white or very pale greenish-blue, finely spotted blackish, violet or reddish. No other information.

Not globally threatened. Locally common to abundant.