The quailfinch (''Ortygospiza atricollis'') is a species of the

estrildid finch Estrildidae, or estrildid finches, is a family of small seed-eating passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They comprise species commonly known as munias, mannikins, firefinches, parrotfinches and waxbills. Despite the word "fi ...

. It is found in open grasslands in

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, thick, red bills. They are very terrestrial, with lark-like feet and claws.

Systematics

Previously, three species were recognized, but are now considered subspecies: *

Black-chinned quailfinch The black-chinned quailfinch (''Ortygospiza atricollis gabonensis'') also known as the red-billed quailfinch, is a common subspecies of estrildid finch found in central Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 450,000 km2. ...

, ''Ortygospiza atricollis gabonensis'' *

African quailfinch The African quailfinch, spectacled quailfinch, or white-chinned quailfinch (''Ortygospiza atricollis fuscocrissa''), is a common species of estrildid finch found in eastern and southern Africa. Some taxonomists consider it to be conspecific with ...

, ''Ortygospiza atricollis fuscocrissa'' *

Black-faced quailfinch The black-faced quailfinch (''Ortygospiza atricollis atricollis''), is a common subspecies of estrildid finch found in western and central of Africa. Some taxonomists consider it to be conspecific with the African quailfinch, others consider all ...

, ''Ortygospiza atricollis atricollis'' The

locust finch The locust finch or locustfinch (''Paludipasser locustella'') is a species of waxbill found in south-central and south-eastern Africa. It is the only species in the genus ''Paludipasser''. It is sometimes placed in the genus ''Ortygospiza''. Ta ...

, ''Paludipasser locustella'', is considered a member of this genus by some taxonomists. Two issues are contentious: First, whether the locustfinch should be included here or given its own

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispec ...

genus. Second, the "African quailfinch" complex might comprise one or three (sub)species. The two-taxon arrangement as found in most field guides and used by the IUCN, was recently shown to be based only on a single character (the color of the chin and throat). It is certainly erroneous, being contradicted by all other morphological,

behavior Behavior (American English) or behaviour (British English) is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in some environment. These systems can include other systems or organisms as wel ...

al and

DNA sequence DNA sequencing is the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence – the order of nucleotides in DNA. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. Th ...

data. The molecular data would support a two-taxon arrangement with the

taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...

''atricollis'' and ''fuscocrissa'', but this is not supported by the other data. In conclusion, either ''gabonensis'' should be merged back into ''atricollis'', or ''fuscocrissa'' should be restored to (sub)species status. Gene flow in the "African quailfinch" complex is still ongoing, and the three lineages therein either form a superspecies, or can be considered a single, wide-ranging and very variable species.Payne & Sorenson (2007)

References

* Clement, Peter; Harris, Alan & Davis, John (1993): ''Finches and Sparrows: an identification guide''.

Christopher Helm Christopher Alexander Roger Helm (born Dundee, 1 February 1937 – 20 January 2007) was a Scottish book publisher, notably of ornithology related titles, including the '' Helm Identification Guides''. Born in Dundee, he was raised in Forfar ...

, London. * Payne, Robert B. & Sorenson, Michael D. (2007): Integrative systematics at the species level: plumage, songs and molecular phylogeny of quailfinches ''Ortygospiza''. '' Bull. B.O.C.'' 127(1): 4-26
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Ortygospiza Birds described in 1817 Taxa named by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot {{Estrildidae-stub