West African Seedeater
Crithagra canicapilla
West African Seedeater (Crithagra canicapilla) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The West African Seedeater (Crithagra canicapilla) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 16 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Fringillidae Finches, Euphonias
- Genus Crithagra
- Species canicapilla
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The West African Seedeater is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The West African Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The West African Seedeater (Crithagra canicapilla) belongs to the Fringillidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF wc, c.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 5.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.5 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the West African Seedeater?
The West African Seedeater is a small bird that weighs around 16 g.
Where does the West African Seedeater live?
The West African Seedeater is found across Africa with a range covering AF wc, c, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the West African Seedeater belong to?
The West African Seedeater (Crithagra canicapilla) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the West African Seedeater eat?
The West African Seedeater is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the West African Seedeater migrate?
The West African Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the West African Seedeater endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the West African Seedeater's range?
The West African Seedeater has a mapped global range of about 1.5 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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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.