Black-bellied seedcracker

Black-bellied seedcracker
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Estrildidae
Genus: Pyrenestes
Species:
P. ostrinus
Binomial name
Pyrenestes ostrinus
(Vieillot, 1805)

Dickcissel male perched on a metal pole singing, with neck stretched and beak open.

Songs and calls
Listen to a black-bellied seedcracker on xeno-canto

The black-bellied seedcracker (Pyrenestes ostrinus) is a bird species of the family Estrildidae. They live in most Central African countries and inhabit tropical rainforest. The species comprises individuals with different physical appearance which are grouped into three categories (small, large and mega bill size).[2] Adults are mainly granivorous but diet preference varies with bill size and food availability.[3] Black-bellied seedcrackers also exhibit very distinctive colorations with bright patches of black and red, making them easy to identify in the field. Overall, little is known about this species apart from its range, but intensive studies are currently looking at bill size variations among individuals and their effects on behaviors.[4]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2018). "Pyrenestes ostrinus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22719384A132128345. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22719384A132128345.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Frampton, Tracy (2007-12-18). "Captive breeding of Black-bellied seedcrackers Pyrenestes ostrinus at Riverbanks Zoo". International Zoo Yearbook. 27 (1): 270–272. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1988.tb03222.x. ISSN 0074-9664.