| 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 | |
| |
Thenigritas, formerly callednegrofinches, are smallpasserinebirds belonging to thegenusNigrita in theestrildid finch family Estrildidae. There are four species which occur across theAfrican tropical rainforest.
They are 10-15 centimetres long. Thebill is short and black and is fairly slender in some species. The colour of theplumage varies but all have a dark tail. The upperparts are grey or brown and the underparts are black, grey, white or reddish brown. Thegrey-headed nigrita and malepale-fronted nigrita have a black face and thewhite-breasted nigrita has a black cap. Nigritas have whistling or trillingsongs and calls.
They feed oninsects,fruit andseeds. They often forage high in the treetops, usually alone or in pairs.
The genusNegrita was introduced in 1843 by the English naturalistHugh Edwin Strickland as a replacement name forAethiops.[1] Strickland had introduced the genusAethiops in 1841 in the combinationAethiops canicapillus for thegrey-headed nigrita.[2] The nameAethiops was pre-occupied as it had been used earlier in 1841 byWilliam Martin for a genus of monkeys. Thetype species isAethiops canicapillus Strickland, bymonotypy.[3] The genus nameNegrita is fromModern Latinnegritus meaning "black".[4]
The genus contains four species:[5]
| 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 |
 | ThisEstrildidae-related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |