Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Green Twinspot
Find out more about this feathered Highway resident below.
THIS week, we feature the very beautiful and much-sought-after Green Twinspot. This species is a favourite with birdwatchers.
Also read: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Wahlberg’s Eagle
Description
The Green Twinspot is a very small bird, smaller than a house sparrow at 11cm and with an average weight of only 9.5g. It is typical in shape to most small seedeaters, but that is where the similarity ends. The Green Twinspot has a very distinctive black belly with many white ‘twin spots’ from which it gets its name. The head and back are a uniform olive green. The male has a distinctive red face while the female has a yellowish face.
Distribution
One of the reasons why the Green Twinspot is much sought after is because it is only found in a very narrow coastal belt running from the Eastern Cape to the Mozambique border and also inland to Mpumulanga and parts of Kruger National Park.
Habitat
You will find the Green Twinspot on the edges of forests or in gardens adjacent to forests.
Feeding
The Green Twinspot feeds primarily on the seeds of indigenous grasses but will opportunistically feed on small flying insects. They often feed in small groups of 10 to 12 birds.
Breeding
They are believed to be monogamous for the breeding season but not often for successive seasons. Nests are built in the canopy of tall trees with the male fetching material, but building is done by both male and female. Four to six eggs are laid during October to December, and they are incubated for a maximum of 14 days. The incubation duties are shared by both parents.
Predators and threats
This species is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but numbers may be under threat by the loss of grasslands and by the pet trade where the Green Twinspot is much sought after.
Local information
The Green Twinspot can be found across the entire Highway area, and you are likely to find it where there are indigenous grasses in seed. This is one of the species we are trying to encourage by not cutting the indigenous grasses on the off- or on-ramps of the M13.
Interesting facts
The Green Twinspot is a very quiet bird, and its call is seldom heard. If it is threatened or disturbed, it will fly into the canopy of a tree and sit quietly until the threat has passed.
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