Drakensberg Siskin (Crithagra symonsi)
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Drakensberg Siskin

Crithagra symonsi (Roberts, 1916)

13–14 cmLength16 gWeight

The Drakensberg siskin (Crithagra symonsi) is a small passerine bird in the finch family.

Busiest months: October · Most records: Lesotho, South Africa

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: October · Most records: Lesotho, South Africa

Drakensberg Siskin has been recorded at 9 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Sani PassLesotho251 records
  2. Sani Pass (LS) to Black MountainsLesotho195 records
  3. Black Mountains – EastLesotho43 records
More places
  1. Black Mountains – WestLesotho39 records
  2. Afriski Mountain ResortLesotho5 records
  3. Mafika Lisiu PassLesotho4 records
  4. Katse Dam – Ha LejoneLesotho3 records
  5. Semonkong LodgeLesotho1 record
  6. Sani Pass (ZA) – low elevationSouth Africa1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

LesothoSouth Africa

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Drakensberg siskin (Crithagra symonsi) is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is an endemic resident breeder in the eastern Cape Province Transkei and western Natal in South Africa, and in Lesotho.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Drakensberg Siskin?

The Drakensberg Siskin is about 13–14 cm long and weighs around 16 g.

Where does the Drakensberg Siskin live?

Its breeding range: Africa: South Africa. It is most often recorded in Lesotho and South Africa.

When is the best time to see the Drakensberg Siskin?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Drakensberg Siskin endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Drakensberg Siskin as Least Concern.

What does the Drakensberg Siskin eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Drakensberg Siskin in?

It belongs to the family Finches, Euphonias (Fringillidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
13–14 cm
Weight
16 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
76 mm
Tail
59 mm
Bill
12 mm
Tarsus
17 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: South Africa

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Finches, Euphonias Fringillidae
Genus
Crithagra

Other birds in the genus Crithagra

Principe SeedeaterPrincipe SeedeaterCrithagra rufobrunneaSao Tome GrosbeakSao Tome GrosbeakCrithagra concolorAfrican CitrilAfrican CitrilCrithagra citrinelloidesWestern CitrilWestern CitrilCrithagra frontalisSouthern CitrilSouthern CitrilCrithagra hypostictaBlack-faced CanaryBlack-faced CanaryCrithagra capistrataPapyrus CanaryPapyrus CanaryCrithagra koliensisForest CanaryForest CanaryCrithagra scotopsWhite-rumped SeedeaterWhite-rumped SeedeaterCrithagra leucopygiaBlack-throated CanaryBlack-throated CanaryCrithagra atrogularisYellow-rumped SeedeaterYellow-rumped SeedeaterCrithagra xanthopygiaReichenow's SeedeaterReichenow's SeedeaterCrithagra reichenowi
Drakensberg Siskin

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Markus Lilje. ↗

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