Nigrita (bird)

Nigrita
Grey-headed nigrita (N. canicapillus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Estrildidae
Genus:	Nigrita Strickland, 1843
Type species
Aethiops canicapillus Strickland, 1841
Species
N. fusconotus N. bicolor N. luteifrons N. canicapillus

The nigritas, formerly called negrofinches, are small passerine birds belonging to the genus Nigrita in the estrildid finch family Estrildidae. There are four species which occur across the African tropical rainforest.

They are 10-15 centimetres long. The bill is short and black and is fairly slender in some species. The colour of the plumage varies but all have a dark tail. The upperparts are grey or brown and the underparts are black, grey, white or reddish brown. The grey-headed nigrita and male pale-fronted nigrita have a black face and the white-breasted nigrita has a black cap. Nigritas have whistling or trilling songs and calls.

They feed on insects, fruit and seeds. They often forage high in the treetops, usually alone or in pairs.

Species list

Image	Scientific name	Common Name	Distribution
	Nigrita fusconotus	White-breasted nigrita	widespread
	Nigrita bicolor	Chestnut-breasted nigrita	widespread
	Nigrita luteifrons	Pale-fronted nigrita	widespread
	Nigrita canicapillus	Grey-headed nigrita	widespread

References

• Clement, Peter; Harris, Alan & Davies, John (1993) Finches and Sparrows: An Identification Guide, Christopher Helm, London.
• Sinclair, Ian & Ryan, Peter (2003) Birds of Africa south of the Sahara, Struik, Cape Town.