Bluebill
The Samenknacker ( Spermophaga ) are a genus within the family of finches. Three types are attributed to this genus that occur exclusively in Africa.
Description
Samenknacker reach a body length of between twelve and fifteen inches and weigh 20-28 grams. In the male parts of the plumage are scarlet, the other parts glossy black or slate gray. In females, the red plumage games are less extensive. The black parts of the bottom - depending on the type of variable expansion - and the under tail-coverts have pairs on arranged drops stains. The breast is red in the females of all three species, the top mostly slate gray to dark olive brown.
The distribution of Samenknacker is the inner and eastern Congo region and West Africa Gamba and Guinea-Bissau to the Congo estuary. The distribution area of the red- seed cracker is divided into four disjoint populations. An occurrence ranges from the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Sudan to the southeast of the western Kenya, another of Uganda Rwanda and Burundi to Lake Tanganyika. Two other isolated deposits are located in the north- eastern Tanzania and the southwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In contrast, when the German generic name suggests, eat Samenknacker no hard-shelled seeds but are, such as the red-breast - Samenknacker, rely on small seeds. You pick out seeds among others Grasrispen and also eat insects such as termites swarming. The Rotbrustsamenknacker also breaks on termite mounds.
Samenknacker keep preferably in the dense undergrowth. The Grant Samenknacker is found exclusively in the dense primary forest, while the red-breast - Samenknacker and the red-headed Samenknacker are also sometimes observed in clearings.
Attitude
As Ziervogelart only the Rotbrust- Samenknacker has a meaning. He was already introduced in 1878 by the animal dealer Fockelmann in large numbers and brought from Hagenbeck in the trade. The Grant Samenknacker has so far imported only once, while the red-headed Samenknacker come in small numbers in the trade. The offspring is considered to be difficult. Very often the young birds die before the end of youth Mauser.
Species
The following three types are counted as the seed crackers:
- Grant Samenknacker (p. poliogenys )
- Rotbrust- Samenknacker (p. haematina )
- Red- Samenknacker (p. ruficapilla )