White-bellied Canary

Serinus dorsostriatus

Other Names

  Somali Canary   Serin à ventre blanc   Weißbauchgirlitz   Canario de vientre blanco     Witbuik cini   Canarino ventre bianco

World: Africa in the E and NE of the continent, from northern Tanzania, through Kenya and NE Uganda to SE Sudan, Ethiopia and western Somalia.

Kenya: Locally common in the intermediate rainfall areas in the W of the country. Mostly absent from the arid eastern regions although it is found around the Daua River.

A dry-country species which is generally found in small flocks. It normally feeds on the ground but will also eat buds and flowers in the tops of trees. There are 2 races found in Kenya, the northern race (maculicollis) is pictured above and is distinguished from the southern race (dorsostriatus) by having more white below, extending to the under tail-coverts (in the southern race the crissum is yellowish).