Red-faced Crimsonwing
Reichenows Bergastrild ( Cryptospiza reichenovii ) is a species of the family of finches. The species occurs in three geographically widely separated populations from Africa.
Description
Reichenows Bergastrild reaches a body length of up to twelve centimeters. Characteristic of the males of the large, scarlet spot is round the eyes, which stretches up to the root of the upper beak. The top of the head and upper back are dark olive color. The shoulders and the rear back - up are crimson purple. The body bottom is olivaceous, the under tail-coverts are reddish wash almost blackish and with a number of individuals. The eyes are dark brown and have a red lid margin. The beak is black.
The females of Reichenows Bergastrild lacks the striking red eye spot. With them the reins and the area around the eyes are yellowish to pale olive color depending on the subspecies.
Distribution and habitat
Reichenows Bergastrild occurs on the island of Bioko, in southern Nigeria and Cameroon on the mountain and in the mountains of northwestern Cameroon. A second area of distribution is in the northwest of Angola and a third, larger area of distribution in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe and the adjoining region in the west of Mozambique.
The habitat of Reichenows Bergastrild are dense forests and occasionally overgrown farmland near the lower timberline. He settled moorland, mountain forest with tree farm stocks, Acanthaceae scrub. Its altitudinal distribution is in Cameroon 900-2000 meters. He came out ahead to the upper timberline.
Way of life
Reichenows Bergastrilde are secretive finches. Keep on usually in pairs or in small flights of up to ten individuals in protective thicket. They are occasionally associated with Rotbrust- seed crackers, Nonnenastrilden and Glanzelsterchen. Their diet consists of seeds. A major portion have grass seeds. However, they also eat the seeds of Pinus patula, an introduced tree forest in southern Africa.
The calls are chirping and sharp zit. The vocals are low and variable, and reminds both the Tropfenastrilds the Green and to the a subspecies of Buntastrilds, namely Pytilia melba Citerior. The song ends with all three with a plaintive, two-syllable Pfeifmotiv. During mating, the male umhüpft the female, unlike Jackson Bergastrild carries Reichenows Bergastrild doing no nesting material in its beak.
Reichenows Bergastrilde are territorial and defend a territory of a size between 0.8 to four hectares. The incubation period varies depending on the area of distribution and is located on Mount Cameroon, for example, at the output of the rainy season. The pairs nest for years in the same field and build their new nests often in close proximity to their old nests. The clutch consists of three to five eggs. Both parents birds breed. The nestlings fledge 21 days after hatching and then fed by the male for another 10 to twelve days. Some of the young birds return in the first days after leaving the nest at night back in the nest back. On the basis of ringed birds could be demonstrated that Reichenows Bergastrilde can achieve a life age of at least four to five years.
Attitude
Reichenows Bergastrilde were probably first imported to England in the 1930s. The first copies arrived in the 1950s to Germany. They are considered very attractive and acceptable way, which can be held together with other finches. Although they are now being bred by some fans, most birds come in the commercial imports.