Photo: Lip Kee Yap / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Cape Canary
Serinus canicollis
Cape Canary (Serinus canicollis) — 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 Cape Canary (Serinus canicollis) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 15.2 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 Serinus
- Species canicollis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.2 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Cape Canary is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Cape Canary is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Cape Canary (Serinus canicollis) is a member of the Fringillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF s.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.2 g, with a wing length of about 7.6 cm and a tail of around 5.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 616,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Cape Canary?
The Cape Canary is a small bird that weighs around 15.2 g.
Where does the Cape Canary live?
The Cape Canary is found across Africa with a range covering AF s, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Cape Canary belong to?
The Cape Canary (Serinus canicollis) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Cape Canary eat?
The Cape Canary is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Cape Canary migrate?
The Cape Canary is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Cape Canary endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Cape Canary make?
1 real field recording of the Cape Canary — 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 Cape Canary's range?
The Cape Canary has a mapped global range of about 616,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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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.