Grey-headed nigrita

Grey-headed nigrita
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Estrildidae
Genus: Nigrita
Species:
N. canicapillus
Binomial name
Nigrita canicapillus
(Strickland, 1841)

The grey-headed nigrita (Nigrita canicapillus) is a common species of estrildid finch found in Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 3,700,000 km2.

It is widespread throughout the African tropical rainforest.

The status of the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Taxonomy

The grey-headed nigrita was formally described in 1841 by the English naturalist Hugh Edwin Strickland based on a specimen collected on the island of Bioko (formerly named Fernando Pó), off the west coast of Africa. He coined the binomial name Aethiops canicapillus where the specific epithet combines the Latin canus meaning "grey" with -capillus meaning "-capped" or "-headed". The grey-headed nigrita is now one of four species placed in the genus Nigrita that was introduced in 1843 by Strickland.

Six subspecies are recognised:

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2018). "Nigrita canicapillus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018 e.T22719298A132127206. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22719298A132127206.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Strickland, Hugh Edwin (1841). "On some new genera of birds". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 9 (99): 27-34 [30].
  3. ↑ Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, ed. (1968). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 14. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 310.
  4. ↑ Jobling, James A. "canicapillus". The Key to Scientific Names. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  5. 1 2 Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (February 2025). "Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits". IOC World Bird List Version 15.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 14 August 2025.

BirdLife Species Factsheet