Grey-headed negrofinch

Nigrita canicapillus

Photo by David Beadle (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
grey-headed negrofinch (en); negrinha-de-cabeça-cinzenta (pt); nigrette à calotte grise (fr); negrita canosa (es); graunackenschwärzling (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Guinea eastwards to southern Nigeria and Cameroon, east to Uganda and Kenya and southwards into northern Tanzania, D.R. Congo and northern Angola.

Size:
These birds are 13-14 cm long and weigh 17-21 g.

Habitat:
The grey-headed negrofinch is mostly found in moist tropical forests, particularly in forest edges and clearings, along roads and streams in primary forests and in gallery forest. they also use palm plantations. They are more common in lowland areas but occur from sea level up to an altitude of 3.350 m.

Diet:
They feed on small insects, including ants, termites and larvae, also taking fruits, seeds and occasionally nectar.

Breeding:
Grey-headed negrofinches can breed all year round, varying among different parts of their range. There is no further available information on the reproduction of this species.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as locally common to common and widespread. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Fernando Po oliveback

Nesocharis shelleyi

Photo by Krzysztof Blachowiak (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
Fernando Po oliveback (en); olivinha-de-rabo-curto (pt); dos-vert à tête noire (fr); olivino carinegro (es); meisenastrild (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is found in north-western Cameroon, including Bioko Island, and marginally into south-eastern Nigeria.

Size:
These birds are 8 cm long and weigh 7-9 g.

Habitat:
The Fernando Po oliveback is found in mountain rainforests, cocoa plantations, moist scrublands and dry savannas, mainly at altitudes of 1.200-2.100 m, but also at lower altitudes.

Diet:
They forage on all levels of the vegetations, taking both small insects and seeds.

Breeding:
These birds breed in December-March. There is no further information regarding their reproduction.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is reported to be locally common to uncommon. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

White-throated munia

Lonchura malabarica

Photo by Per Jespersen (Per Jespersen)

Common name:
white-throated munia (en); bico-de-chumbo-indiano (pt); capucin bec-de-plomb (fr); capuchino picoplata indio (es); Indischer silberschnabel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is found throughout India and Sri Lanka, into Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan, and also around the Persian Gulf in southern Iran, Oman and the UAE. It has been introduced to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Puerto Rico, Hawaiian islands and the Virgin islands.

Size:
These birds are 11-11,5 cm long and weigh 10-14 g.

Habitat:
The white-throated munia is found in arid, open arid, such as dry grasslands and scrublands, dry savannas, pastures and arable land. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.200 .

Diet:
They usually forage in flocks of up to 60 individuals, taking the seeds of various sedges and grasses, as well as ants and other small insects and, occasionally, nectar.

Breeding:
White-throated munias can breed all year round, generally beginning with the onset of rains. The female builds an irregular, oval nest, using material collected by the male. The nest is lined with feather and usually placed in a low thorny scrub or tree, up to 3 m above the ground. The female lays 3-8 eggs which are incubated by both parents for about 11 days.The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 19 days after hatching, only becoming fully independent 1 weeks later. Each pair can raise 4 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common or locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Cut-throat finch

Amadina fasciata

Photo by Philip Perry (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:
cut-throat finch (en); degolado (pt); amadine cou-coupé (fr); estrilda degollada (es); bandamadine (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is found along the Sahel belt, from Senegal and southern Mauritania east through Mali, northern Burkina Faso, southern Niger, northern Nigeria, Southern Chad and into southern Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia. Also along East Africa from Ethiopia to Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and north-eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 11-12 cm long and weigh 15-32 g.

Habitat:
The cut-throat finch is mostly found in dry savannas, particularly Acacia sp. and Colophospermum mopane, also using dry tropical grasslands and scrublands. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 2.100 m.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, usually in small groups, taking various grass seeds and termites.

Breeding:
Cut-throat finches breed in August-May, varying among different parts of their range. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting a ball of grass with a short entrance tunnel, lined with feathers. It is typically placed in an old nest of a Ploceus weaver, red-billed buffalo weaver Bubalornis niger, red-headed weaver Anaplectes rubriceps, or of a woodpecker, occasionally also using holes in fence posts. The female lays 2-7 white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 12-13 days. The chicks fledge 18-23 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common or locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Bronze munia

Lonchura cucullata

Photo by Warwick Tarboton (Warwick Tarboton)

Common name:
bronze munia (en); bico-de-chumbo-bronzeado (pt); capucin nonnette (fr); capuchino bronceado (es); kleinelsterchen (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is found in sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south to Angola, eastern Botswana and eastern South Africa. There is also an introduced population in Puerto Rico.

Size:
These birds are 9-10 cm long and weigh 10-12 g.

Habitat:
The bronze munia is found in tropical forests and savannas, dry scrublands, dry grasslands, inland wetlands such as marshes and swamps, and also in pastures and arable land.

Diet:
They forage on the ground or in low vegetation, mainly taking grass seeds and cultivated cereals such as rice. They also take some insects, such as termites and ants, and occasionally nectar.

Breeding:
Bronze munias can breed all year round. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a domed structure made of grasses and lined with feather and soft plant fibres, placed in a small tree 2-3 m above the ground. It is usually located near wasp on ant nests. The female lays 4-8 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 12-14 days. The chicks fledge 17-21 days after hatching but only become fully independent 3 weeks later. Each pair can raise multiple broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common and widespread. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Lesser seedcracker

Pyrenestes minor

Photo by Johann Grobbelaar (Grob Images)

Common name:
lesser seedcracker (en); quebra-sementes-do-Niassa (pt); petit pyréneste (fr); estrilda piquigorda chica (es); kleiner purpurastrild (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is found in East Africa, from southern Tanzania, through Malawi and into central Mozambique and marginally across the border into Zimbabwe.

Size:
These birds are 13-14 cm long and weigh 14 g.

Habitat:
The lesser seedcracker is found in wet tropical grasslands and scrublands, and along the edges of tropical forests, typically favouring areas along rivers and streams or surrounding wetlands. They are present at altitudes of 700-1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on grass seeds, also taking small arthropods such as aphids, termites and spiders.

Breeding:
Lesser seedcrackers breed in December-May. The nest is mainly built by the male, consisting of an untidy oval structure with a short entrance tunnel on one side, made of broad strips of grass, reeds and leaves. It is typically placed in a fork of a tree or scrub, 1,5-3 m above ground. There the female lays 3-5 eggs which are incubated by both parents for about 15 days. The chicks fledge 20-23 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as local and uncommon. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Red-faced crimson-wing

Cryptospiza reichenovii

Photo by Warwick Tarboton (Warwick Tarboton)

Common name:
red-faced crimson-wing (en); asa-vermelha-de-mascarilha (pt); sénégali de Reichenow (fr); estrilda de Reichenow (es); Reichenows bergastrild (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is patchily distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, with population in southern Nigeria and northern Cameroon, in eastern D.R. Congo, Uganda and Rwanda, and from northern Tanzania to Malawi, Mozambique and north-eastern Zimbabwe.

Size:
These birds are 12 cm long and weigh 11-17 g.

Habitat:
The red-faced crimson-wing is mostly found in forests clearings and along the edges of tropical mountain forests, also using dense vegetation along rivers, well-wooded gardens and tea and pine plantations. They are present at altitudes of 900-2.000 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on grass seeds, namely Panicum sp., Setaria sp. and Streblochaete longiarista, also eating maize, the seeds of cluster pine Pinus patula and some insects.

Breeding:
Red-faced crimson-wings breed in September-March. The nest is mainly built by the female with material gathered by the male, consisting of an oval ball of fine grass, moss and skeletonised leaves, with a spout-like entrance protruding from the side. It is lined with seed heads, plant down, feathers and sometimes Marasmius fungus, and typically placed in the fork of a tree fern, sapling, or thorny scrub. The female lays 3-5 eggs which are incubated by both sexes, but there is no information regarding the length of the incubation period. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge about 21 days after hatching, becoming fully independent 10-12 days later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large but fragmented breeding range and is described as common or locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Green-backed twinspot

Mandingoa nitidula

Photo by Fernando Domingues (Exotic Finches)

Common name:
green-backed twinspot (en); pintadinha-verde (pt); astrild vert pointillé (fr); estrilda verde (es); grüne tropfenastrild (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is patchily distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, from Guinea to Ethiopia and south to northern Angola, southern D.R. Congo, Mozambique and eastern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 11 cm long and weigh 10-11 g.

Habitat:
The green-backed twinspot is found along the egdes of moits tropical forests, in wet grasslands, moist scrublands, arable land, and also exotic tree plantations.

Diet:
They feed mainly on grass seeds, such as basket grass Oplismenus hirtellus, ribbon bristle grass Setaria chevalieri and forest hood grass Sacciolepis curvata, as well as stinging nettles such as Urera cameroonensis. They also take some small insects, such as aphids.

Breeding:
In South Africa, these birds breed in December-April. They are monogamous and can mate for life. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a bulk oval ball with a small entrance spout, made of grass stems, skeletonised leaves, rootlets, twigs and Usnea lichens. It is lined with feathers, fine grasses and other soft material, and typically concealed in the canopy of a tall tree. The female lays 4-6 white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 17 days after hatching. They become fully independent 1 week later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be difficult to observe so it may be common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Black-throated finch

Poephila cincta

Photo by Vladimír Motyčka (BioLib)

Common name:
black-throated finch (en); diamante-de-garganta-preta (pt); diamant à bavette (fr); diamante gorjinegro (es); gürtelgrasfunk (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:

This species is endemic to Queensland, Australia, where it is currently found on the Cape York Peninsula. In the past its range extended southwards into northern New South Wales.

Size:
These birds are 10-12 cm long and weigh about 15 g.

Habitat:
The black-throated finch is found in dry, grassy savannas and open forests dominated by eucalypts, paperbarks or acacias, and also uses scrublands, pastures and arable land.

Diet:
They mainly feed on the seeds of various grasses and herbs, such as such as Urochloa mosambicensis, Digitaria, Melinis repens, Chloris inflata, Dactyloctenium, Eremochloa, Paspalidium and Setaria. They also take some spiders, ants and termite alates.

Breeding:
Black-throated finches can breed all year round. They breed in colonies and the nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a round structure woven from dried grasses with tube-like entrance. It is typically placed in a fork in a tree or scrub, about 5 m above the ground. There the female lays 3-9 matte white eggs, which are incubated for 12-15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 21-22 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 3 weeks later. Each pair raises 1-2 broods per year.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as fairly common or locally common, but less common in the south of its range. The population is suspected to be in decline at a slow rate, owing to the clearance and degradation of its habitats, mainly due to the spread and intensification of pastoralism, changes in fire regime and increases in the density of native woody weeds in grassy savannas. Despite this, the black-throated finch in nor considered threatened at present.

Java sparrow

Padda oryzivora

Photo by Kim Bridges (Wikipedia)

Common name:
Java sparrow (en); pardal-de-Java (pt); padda de Java (fr); gorrión de Java (es); reisfink (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species was originaly endemic to the islands of Java, Bali, and probably Madura, in Indonesia. It is a common cage bird and feral populations have been established in many parts of the world.

Size:
These birds are 14-19 cm long and weigh 30-40 g.

Habitat:
In their native range, Java sparrows are found in dry savannas, scrublands and grasslands, as well as in rural gardens, arable land, rice paddies and within urban areas. They are mostly present from sea level up to an altitude of 500 m.

Diet:
They mostly eat the seeds of grasses and other flowering plant, namely rice seeds, but also some insects.

Breeding:
Java sparrows breed in February-August within their native range. The nest is a loosely built structure of dried grass, constructed under the roofs and eaves of buildings in towns and villages, or in scrubs and treetops. The female lays 4-8 white eggs, which are incubated for 12-15 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 2-3 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has a relatively large native range, but the native population is estimated at just 1.500-7.000 individuals. There are larger introduced populations elsewhere, for instance in China or Japan. The native population is declining at a rapid rate, mostly due to the high trapping pressure for the cage bird trade. Historically, it was regarded as a rice crop-pest, and consequently persecuted, while hunting for local consumption still takes place. Other potential threats include the increased use of pesticides and competition with the ecologically similar tree sparrow Passer montanus.

Brown firefinch

Lagonosticta nitidula

(Photo from Bird Forum)

Common name:
brown firefinch (en); peito-de-fogo-castanho (pt); amarante nitidule (fr); pinzón candela castaño (es); braunbürzelamarant (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is found from D.R. Congo and Tanzania, through Angola and Zambia, and into Botswana and northern Namibia.

Size:
These birds are 10-11 cm long and weigh 10-11 g.

Habitat:
The brown firefinch is found in reedbeds, papyrus, tall grasses and thickets along watercourses, swamps and marshes, occasionally moving into adjacent thorny scrublands and riparian woodlands. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.800 m.

Diet:
They forage on bare ground, mainly eating grass seeds, such as jungle rice Echinochloa colonum, teff grass Eragrostis tef, bur bristle grass Setaria verticillata, golden bristle grass Setaria sphacelata and Natal red top Melinis repens. They also eat termites, small ants and mealworms.

Breeding:
Brown firefinches breed in October-April. The nest is a grass ball with a side entrance, lined with feathers and placed low in a scrub or thatch roof of a building. They may also use abandoned nests of weavers and sunbirds. The female lays 3-6 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 14-16 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 15-19 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status -LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is reported to be locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Violet-eared waxbill

Uraeginthus granatinus

Photo by Ian White (Flickr)

Common name:
violet-eared waxbill (en); monsenhor (pt); cordonbleu grenadin (fr); granadero común (es); granatastrild (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This African species is found from southern Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe to northern South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 13-15 cm long and weigh 12 g.

Habitat:
The violet-eared waxbill is mostly found in dry scrublands and savanna, especially Acacia, Colosphermum Baikiaea, Baphia and Bauhinia stands. They are also found in pastures and arable land.

Diet:
They usually forage on the ground, or among scrubs and grasses, taking the seeds of various grasses and forbs, fruits and nectar. They also hunt some insects, namely termites, ants and beetles.

Breeding:
Violet-eared waxbills are monogamous, solitary nesters, forming life-long pair bonds. They can breed all year round and the nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a thick-walled, vertical oval-shaped structure made of grass stems and lined with green grass inflorescences and feathers of other birds. The nest is typically concealed in the foliage of a scrub or tree. The female lays 2-7 white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 12-13 days. The chicks are fed and brooded by both parents and fledge 16-18 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This specie has a very large breeding range and is described as common or fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Quailfinch

Ortygospiza atricollis

Photo by Steve Garvie (Wikipedia)

Common name:
quailfinch (en); bico-de-lacre-codorniz (pt); astrild-caille à face noir (fr); pinzón codorniz (es); wachtelastrild (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is patchily distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, from Mauritania to Ethiopia and south to South Africa.

Size:
These birds are 9-10 cm long and weigh around 11 g.

Habitat:
The quailfinch is found in short, open grasslands, marshes, bogs, agricultural fields and open woodlands, especially near water sources.

Diet:
They forage on the ground, mainly eating grass seeds, but also taking small arthropods, especially termites and spiders.

Breeding:
Quailfinches breed in November-June. The nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a ball-shaped structure made of grass blades, lined with seeding grass inflorescences and feathers. It is typically placed within or on top of a grass tuft, with the entrance often facing a small patch of bare soil. There the female lays 3-6 white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 14-15 days. The chicks are brooded and fed by both sexes and fledge 18-20 days after hatching, but only become fully independent about 2-4 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common to locally common.
The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Swee waxbill

Estrilda melanotis

Photo by Derek Keats (Flickr)

Common name:
swee waxbill (en); bico-de-lacre-tropical (pt); astrild à joues noires (fr); estrilda ventrigualda (es); grünastrild (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae

Range:
This species is patchily distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, mostly along East Africa, from Ethiopia to South Africa, but also in Angola and D.R. Congo.

Size:
They are 9-10 cm long and weigh 6-7 g.

Habitat:
The swee waxbill is mostly found in dry grasslands and scrublands, along forest edges and in pastures, rural gardens and arable land. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 2.400 m.

Diet:
These birds mainly eat grass seeds, such as catstail grass Sporobolus pyramidalis, Natal redtop Melinis repens and bristle grasses Setaria sp., taken from the ground or directly from plants.

Breeding:
The swee waxbill breeds in December-June. Both sexes build the nest, an oval-shaped structure with a side-top entrance, made of coarse grass and lined with soft grass inflorescences and occasionally moss. The nest is typically placed in scrub or tree 1-5 m above the ground. The female lays 4-5 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for about 12-14 days. The chicks fed by both parents on a diet of regurgitated seeds and fledge 13-16 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and is described as common to locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Zebra finch

Taeniopygia guttata

Photo by Biswarup Satpati (Trek Nature)

Common name:
zebra finch (en); mandarim (pt); diamant mandarin (fr); pinzón cebra (es); zebrafink (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae


Range:
This species is found throughout Australia, East Timor and southern Indonesia. A common cage bird, it has also been introduced to several other countries, namely Puerto Rico, Brazil, Portugal and the United States.


Size:
These birds are 10-12 cm long and weigh 12 g.


Habitat:
These birds are found in a wide range of habitats, usually near rivers or other water sources. These include dry grasslands and woodlands, saltmarshes, dry savannas, dry scrubland, pastures, agricultural land, rural gardens and urban areas.


Diet:
Zebra finches forage in large flocks, taking fallen or ripening grass seeds and also insects, especially during the breeding season.


Breeding:
They breed in October-April, varying according to rainfall. The female selects the nest site, which may be a small tree, a scrub, a cavity, a termite hill, a rabbit burrow, the nest of other birds or even open ground. She builds the nest, a loose dome made of a wide range of vegetable or even man-made materials collected by the male. There she lays 2-7 white eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 12-14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge18-21 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 2-3 weeks later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common or locally abundant. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats, and it may be expanding in range due to the introduction of artificial dams and water tanks in arid areas.

Scaly-breasted munia

Lonchura punctulata

Photo by John Avise (Natural History of Orange County)

Common name:
scaly-brested munia (en); bico-de-chumbo-malhado (pt); capucin damier (fr); capuchino punteado (es); muskatamadine (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae


Range:
This species originates from southern Asia, from India to southern China, Malaysia and Indonesia. They have been introduced to several countries around the world, including Australia, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Japan, Portugal and the Seychelles.

Size:
These birds are 10-12 cm long and weigh 14 g.

Habitat:
Scaly-breasted munias are mostly found in open habitats, namely moist scrublands, bot dry and wet grasslands, open forests, rice fields, irrigated crops, arable land, rural gardens and urban areas.

Diet:
They mostly eat grass seeds, especially rice, but also small berries, human scraps and even road kill.

Breeding:
These bird can breed all year rounds, varying between different parts of their range. The nest is an untidy globe made of grass and bamboo leaves, with a side entrance. It is lined with soft seeds or feathers and placed inside bushes. The female lays 4-7 white eggs, which are incubated by both parents for 14-18 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 18-19 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
The scaly-breasted munia has a very large breeding range and is described as abundant to locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Red avadavat

Amandava amandava

Photo by Jayaprakash Siddapura (Flickr)

Common name:
red avadavat (en); bengali-vermelho (pt); bengali rouge (fr); bengalí rojo (es); tigerfink (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Estrildidae


Range:
These birds originate from southern Asia, being found from central Pakistan, through India and Bangladesh, and into Myanmar, southern China, Vietnam, Cambodja, south-eastern Thailand, Indonesia and East Timor. This species is commonly used in the pet trade and introduced population have been recorded in Italy, Spain, Brunei, Fiji, Portugal, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Singapore and Hawaii.


Size:
These birds are 9-10 cm long and have a wingspan of 13-14,5 cm. They weigh around 10 g.


Habitat:
These birds are mostly found in marshes and riparian areas, in tall grasses, reedbeds and also in rice fields and sugar cane plantations.


Diet:
Red avadavats mostly feed on grass seeds, but can also eat small insects like termites.


Breeding:
These birds mostly breed in June-January. Both sexes build the nest, a globular structure made of grasses that is placed in a dense scrub. There the female lays 4-7 white eggs which are incubated by both parents for 11-14 days. The chicks fledge 20-21 days after hatching, but only become fully independent 2-3 weeks later.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as common or locally common. Despite its common use in the international pet trade, the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Red-throated parrotfinch

Erythrura psittacea

Photo by Trisha Shears (Wikipedia)

Common name:

red-throated parrotfinch (en); diamante-de-garganta-vermelha (pt); diamant psittaculaire (fr); pinzón loro de garganta roja (es); rotkopf-papageiamadine (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Estrildidae

Range:

The red-throated parrotfinch is endemic to New Caledonia.

Size:

These birds are 12 cm long and weigh 11-12 g.

Habitat:

This species is mostly found in tropical and subtropical lowland moist forests and scrublands, also occurring in plantations, grasslands, road sides and rural gardens.

Diet:

Red-throated parrotfinches mostly look for seeds on the ground, generally preferring grass seeds.

Breeding:

These birds can breed all year round. They nest in holes in rocks, trees, bushes and even in the recesses and beams of buildings, building a semi-open nest using dry leaves, grass stalks, and coconut fibers. There the female lays 4-6 eggs which are incubated by both sexes for 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 20-22 days after hatching, but will continue to receive food from the parents for another 2-3 weeks.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a restricted breeding range, but is described as widespread and fairly common. Although this species is often targeted by the pet trade, the population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Red-browed firetail

Neochmia temporalis

(Photo from Wikipedia)

Common name:

red-browed firetail (en); bico-de-lacre-de-sobrolho-vermelho (pt); diamant à cinq couleurs (fr); pico de cera de cejas rojas (es); dornastrild (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Estrildidae

Range:

The red-browed firetail is found along the east coats of Australia and it has also been introduced to French Polynesia.

Size:

These birds are 10-12 cm long and weigh 11 g.

Habitat:

They are found in grassy areas interspersed with dense understorey vegetation, often along creek lines.

Diet:

Red-browed firetails mostly feed on seeds and insects on the ground, but sometimes perches on seeding grass heads.

Breeding:

These birds breed in October-April. The nest is large and domed, with a side tunnel for an entrance. It is a rough construction of twigs and grass stems built in a dense shrub 1-2 m above the ground. There the female lays 4-6 eggs which are incubated by both parents for 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 22 days after hatching. Each pair may produce 2-3 broods per season.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species has a large breeding range and, although the global population size has not been quantified, the species is described as common or locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.