Photo: William Matthew Hart (1830-1908) / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Protea Canary
Crithagra leucoptera
Protea Canary (Crithagra leucoptera) — 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 Protea Canary (Crithagra leucoptera) is a member of the Fringillidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 22.1 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 leucoptera
Quick facts
- Weight
- 22.1 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Fringillidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Protea Canary is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Protea Canary is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Protea Canary (Crithagra leucoptera) belongs to the Fringillidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 22.1 g, with a wing length of about 6.9 cm and a tail of around 5.8 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 85,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Protea Canary?
The Protea Canary is a small bird that weighs around 22.1 g.
Where does the Protea Canary live?
The Protea Canary is found across Africa with a range covering AF South Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Protea Canary belong to?
The Protea Canary (Crithagra leucoptera) belongs to the Fringillidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Protea Canary eat?
The Protea Canary is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Protea Canary migrate?
The Protea Canary is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Protea Canary 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 Protea Canary make?
1 real field recording of the Protea 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 Protea Canary's range?
The Protea Canary has a mapped global range of about 85,000 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.