The brown-rumped seedeater (Crithagra tristriata) is a species of finch in the family Fringillidae. It is native to the Ethiopian Highlands and Karkaar (Somaliland). It is widespread in towns, villages gardens, plantations and upland heath. The brown-rumped seedeater was formerly placed in the genus Serinus but phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences found that the genus was polyphyletic. The genus was therefore split and a number of species including the brown-rumped seedeater were moved to the resurrected genus Crithagra.

Description

Length 13 cm. This is a drab uniform grey-brown canary with a small white supercilium. It has a plain (not streaked or spotted) breast with white under the chin. The uniformity of its drabness means its eponymous 'brown rump' is often not apparent.And its feeds on some small seeds and grains, in plants and other small shrubs.