Photo: Alan Manson / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-headed Canary
Serinus alario
Black-headed Canary (Serinus alario) — 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-headed Canary (Serinus alario) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 12.2 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 alario
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.2 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 Black-headed 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 Black-headed Canary is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-headed Canary (Serinus alario) is a member of the Fringillidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF South Africa.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.2 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 4.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 508,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-headed Canary?
The Black-headed Canary is a very small bird that weighs around 12.2 g.
Where does the Black-headed Canary live?
The Black-headed Canary is found across Africa with a range covering AF South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-headed Canary belong to?
The Black-headed Canary (Serinus alario) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-headed Canary eat?
The Black-headed Canary is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Black-headed Canary migrate?
The Black-headed Canary is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-headed 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 Black-headed Canary make?
1 real field recording of the Black-headed Canary — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-headed Canary's range?
The Black-headed Canary has a mapped global range of about 508,000 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
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
More in Songbirds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.