Photo: Maans Booysen, Birding Weto / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-eared Seedeater
Crithagra mennelli
Black-eared Seedeater (Crithagra mennelli) — 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 Black-eared Seedeater (Crithagra mennelli) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 15.4 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 mennelli
Where it lives
Tanzania to eastern Angola, northeastern Botswana, Zimbabwe and southern Mozambique
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.4 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-eared 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 Black-eared Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-eared Seedeater (Crithagra mennelli) is a member of the Fringillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Tanzania to e Angola, ne Botswana, Zimbabwe and s Mozambique.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.4 g, with a wing length of about 8 cm and a tail of around 5.7 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.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-eared Seedeater?
The Black-eared Seedeater is a small bird that weighs around 15.4 g.
Where does the Black-eared Seedeater live?
The Black-eared Seedeater is found across Africa with a range covering AF Tanzania to e Angola, ne Botswana, Zimbabwe and s Mozambique, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-eared Seedeater belong to?
The Black-eared Seedeater (Crithagra mennelli) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-eared Seedeater eat?
The Black-eared Seedeater is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Black-eared Seedeater migrate?
The Black-eared Seedeater is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-eared 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.
What sound does the Black-eared Seedeater make?
1 real field recording of the Black-eared 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 Black-eared Seedeater's range?
The Black-eared 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.
Explore more birds
More in Fringillidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Extinct
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
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.