White-throated canary

{{Short description|Species of bird}}

{{speciesbox

| name = White-throated canary

| image = White-throated canary (Crithagra albogularis crocopygia), crop.jpg

| image_caption = C. a. crocopygia
Damaraland, Namibia

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=Crithagra albogularis |volume=2016 |page=e.T22720210A94661339 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22720210A94661339.en |access-date=13 November 2021}}

| genus = Crithagra

| species = albogularis

| authority = Smith, 1833

| synonyms =Serinus albogularis

}}

The white-throated canary (Crithagra albogularis) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae.

Taxonomy

The white-throated canary was formerly placed in the genus Serinus but phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences found that the genus was polyphyletic.{{cite journal | last1=Zuccon | first1=Dario | last2=Prŷs-Jones | first2=Robert | last3=Rasmussen | first3=Pamela C. | last4=Ericson | first4=Per G.P. | year=2012 | title=The phylogenetic relationships and generic limits of finches (Fringillidae) | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume=62 | issue=2 | pages=581–596 | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2011.10.002 | url=http://www.nrm.se/download/18.9ff3752132fdaeccb6800010935/Zuccon%20et%20al%202012.pdf | pmid=22023825}} The genus was therefore split and a number of species including the white-throated canary were moved to the resurrected genus Crithagra.{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | title=Finches, euphonias | work= World Bird List Version 5.2| url=http://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/finches/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union| access-date=5 June 2015 }}{{cite journal | last=Swainson | first=William | author-link=William Swainson | year=1827 | title=On several forms in ornithology not hitherto defined | journal=Zoological Journal | volume=3 | page=348 | url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2339407 }}

Description

The white-throated canary is a small bird about 15 cm long with generally dull-coloured plumage and a yellow or yellow-green rump. It has a heavy horn-coloured beak and brown irises. Its legs are brown. The male and female have similar external appearances, and juveniles resemble adults.{{cite book|title=Roberts Birds of South Africa| page = 610 |first1=G. R. |last1=Mclachlan |first2=R. |last2=Liversidge |others =illustrated by Lighton, N. C. K.; Newman, K.; Adams, J.; Gronvöld, H.|chapter = 865 White-throated Seed-eater|year=1978 |edition=4th |publisher=The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund}}

Distribution and habitat

It is found in Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.

References

{{Reflist}}