Purple Grenadier
Granatina ianthinogaster
Despite their brilliant purple and blue plumage, these birds are masters of camouflage among the shadowed branches of thorny acacia bushes.
- Scientific name
- Granatina ianthinogaster
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Passeriformes › Estrildidae › Granatina
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Dry subtropical and tropical shrubland, acacia savannas, and semi-arid brush.
- Diet
- Primarily grass seeds, supplemented with small insects like termites and spiders during the breeding season.
- Range
- Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda
- Size
- 13-14 cm in length, weighing 12-16 grams
- Lifespan
- 5-8 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Localized habitat degradation from overgrazing and agriculture, and occasional capture for the cage-bird trade.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless and highly active. Observe these small finches quietly from a safe distance of 5-10 meters using binoculars, as they are easily startled. They pose no physical threat to humans.
The purple grenadier ( Uraeginthus ianthinogaster ) is a common species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa.
Photo: DickDaniels, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist
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