Photo: Allan Drewitt / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Salvadori’s Seedeater
Crithagra xantholaema
Salvadori's Seedeater (Crithagra xantholaema) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Salvadori’s Seedeater (Crithagra xantholaema) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Crithagra
- Species xantholaema
Where it lives
Northeastern Africa in montane acacia and gorges: central, south-central Ethiopia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.8 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Salvadori’s Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Salvadori’s Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Salvadori’s Seedeater (Crithagra xantholaema) is a species of bird in the Fringillidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF ne Africa in montane acacia and gorges: c, sc Ethiopia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.8 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 4.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 54,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Salvadori’s Seedeater?
The Salvadori’s Seedeater is a very small bird that weighs around 11.8 g.
Where does the Salvadori’s Seedeater live?
The Salvadori’s Seedeater is found across Africa with a range covering AF ne Africa in montane acacia and gorges: c, sc Ethiopia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Salvadori’s Seedeater belong to?
The Salvadori’s Seedeater (Crithagra xantholaema) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Salvadori’s Seedeater eat?
The Salvadori’s Seedeater is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Salvadori’s Seedeater migrate?
The Salvadori’s Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Salvadori’s Seedeater endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Salvadori’s Seedeater make?
1 real field recording of the Salvadori’s Seedeater — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Salvadori’s Seedeater's range?
The Salvadori’s Seedeater has a mapped global range of about 54,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Fringillidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Extinct
Least Concern
Data Deficient
Extinct
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Fringillidae
A field guide to the Fringillidae family — 238 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.