Cape Siskin

The Cape Siskin, Serinus totta, is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is an endemic resident breeder in the southern Cape Province of South Africa. It is sometimes assigned to the genus Pseudochloroptila as Pseudochloroptila totta.

This species is sometimes considered to be conspecific with the Drakensberg Siskin, Serinus symonsi of eastern Cape Province, western Natal and Lesotho in which case the nominate western form is S. t totta, and the eastern form is S. t. symonsi.

This locally common but shy and unobtrusive siskin is found in the southwestern and southern Cape’s rocky slopes, coastal cliffs and fynbos covered mountains. It also occurs in towns and the suburbs of Cape Town.

Read more about Cape Siskin:  Description, Phylogeny

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