Amadines
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| Swainson , 1827 |
Amadina is the name for the finch genus Amadina , the two African types are assigned.
description
Amadines reach a body length between twelve and 14 centimeters. The males of the red headed amadines are colored blood-red to matt vermilion on the top of the head, the back of the neck, the sides of the head and the front throat. In the Bandamadine , the males have a wide, blood-red collar that extends from the ear region across the back of the throat. In the red headed amadine, the rear breast, front belly and sides of the body show large white teardrop spots. In the Bandamadine, the chest and sides of the body have a reddish isabel to pale whitish isabel-colored plumage, more or less pronounced blackish transverse bands. Both species have a pronounced variability in common, which led to the description of some subspecies of the Bandamadine . Today only four subspecies are recognized for the bandamadins. Two subspecies of the redhead amadine have been described.
Distribution area and habitat
The red head amadine is a nomadic inhabitant of arid regions in southern Africa. Apart from the African silver beak, it penetrates the farthest of all African splendid finches into semi-desert-like biotopes , but generally stays in the vicinity of water holes. The range of the Bandamadine is significantly larger and extends over the drier savannahs and thorn bush areas of Africa from Senegal on the southern edge of the Sahara to Eritrea and Somalia . The bandamadine colonized there mainly acacia savannahs and is also found near villages and cultivated land.
The red headed amadine shows different social behavior depending on their habitat. During the breeding season, they form breeding communities, the individuals of which obviously know each other because they drive off pairs that do not belong to this community. These breeding communities always stay in contact with groups of non-breeding adult and young birds that are permanently near watering points. This behavior is not as pronounced in wetter regions.
attitude
Amadines were among the first exotic bird species to be introduced into Europe for commercial purposes. The Bandamadine was probably kept as an ornamental bird in Europe as early as the 17th, but certainly in the 18th century. They have been on sale very regularly since the 19th century. The bandamadine is one of the most frequently imported species of finches. Amadines are not suitable for keeping in cages. Care is taken according to their needs in spacious aviaries.
species
The genus Amadina contains two species with a total of six subspecies:
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Bandamadine Amadina fasciata (Gmelin, 1789)
- Amadina fasciata fasciata (Gmelin, 1789)
- Amadina fasciata alexanderi Neumann, 1908
- Amadina fasciata meridionalis ninety, 1910
- Amadina fasciata contigua Clancey, 1970
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Red-headed amadine Amadina erythrocephala (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Amadina erythrocephala erythrocephala (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Amadina erythrocephala dissita Clancey, 1958
supporting documents
literature
- Jürgen Nicolai (Ed.), Joachim Steinbacher (Ed.), Renate van den Elzen, Gerhard Hofmann, Claudia Mettke-Hofmann: Prachtfinken - Afrika , Series Handbuch der Vogelpflege, Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 2007, ISBN 978-3-8001- 4964-3
