Blue-capped Cordon-bleu
Blue butterfly head Fink ( Uraeginthus cyanocephalus )
The Blue Butterfly head Fink ( Uraeginthus cyanocephalus ), also called Blaukopfastrild, is a species in the genus Blauastrilde. A distinction is made for this African Prachtfinkenart no subspecies.
Appearance
The Blue Head Butterfly Fink reaches a body length of 14 centimeters, making it one of the great finch species. He is a close relative of Angola Butterfly finches ( Uraeginthus angolensis ). Both species lack the red ear patches of common butterfly finches ( Uraeginthus bengalus ); the male of the Blue Head Butterfly finches also missing the gray drawing of the headstock and neck, they have a full blue head. The color is more intense than in Angola Butterfly Fink. The brown on the body side is yellow and the undertail coverts are vividly bright yellow-brown. The eyes are reddish and the beak is red.
The female is blue at the top of the head only on the forehead, otherwise it is brown. Individuals lack the blue at the top of the head even completely, they have only a little blue to the body sides.
Dissemination and lifestyle
The Blue Head Butterfly Finch is native only in East Africa. It occurs through Kenya and the northern half of Tanzania from southern Ethiopia and Somalia. Its habitat is savannah with acacia slight growth in the vicinity of water bodies and semi-deserts. In Kenya, its altitudinal distribution ranges up to 1,300 meters in altitude. In short grass savannas he comes in other regions of its range even up to 2000 meters above sea level. MSL. Blue Head Butterfly finches live in pairs or in small flocks. Often they are with Blauastrilden and Schmetterlingsastrilden and occasionally associated with the Senegalamarant.
The incubation period varies depending on the area of distribution. The courtship is a Halmbalz as with all Blauastrilden. The nest is built in low bushes, and is often located near wasp nests. This behavior also shows the butterfly Fink. Blue Head Butterfly finches occasionally use even old nests of weaver birds. The nest consists of four to six eggs. The incubation period is 13 to 14 days. In the first days after hatching, the adult birds feed mainly insects and only after about seven days they begin to bring the young birds also half-ripe seeds. By 18-19 days the young birds leave the nest. The youth Mauser have completed the young birds about three months and are then no longer be distinguished on the basis of the plumage of the adult birds.
Attitude
The Blue Head Butterfly Fink was first imported to Europe in 1927. Erstimportland was England, and from there reached individuals of this type, even after Germany and France. The present affirmed succeeded in France in 1930. In his attitude demands of Blaukopf Butterfly Fink Fink corresponds to the butterfly and the Blauastrild.