Estrildid finch

Many:see text

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The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They can be classified as the family Estrildidae (weaver-finch) or as a sub-group within the family Passeridae, which also includes the true sparrows.

Related Topics:
Passerine - Bird - Old World - Australasia - Family - Passeridae - True sparrow

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They are gregarious and often colonial seed-eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have a wide variation in plumage colours and pattern.

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All the estrildids build large domed nests and lay 5-10 white eggs. Many species build roost nests Some of the fire-finches and pytilias are hosts to the brood parasitic indigobirds and whydahs respectively.

Related Topics:
Indigobird

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Most are sensitive to cold and require a warm, usually tropical, habitat, although a few have become adapted to the cooler climates of southern Australia.

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Species list

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• Antpeckers, genus Parmoptila
• Jameson's Antpecker, Parmoptila rubrifrons
• Woodhouse's Antpecker, Parmoptila woodhousei
• Negrofinches, genus Nigrita
• White-breasted Negrofinch, Nigrita fusconota
• Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Nigrita bicolor
• Pale-fronted Negrofinch, Nigrita luteifrons
• Grey-headed Negrofinch, Nigrita canicapilla
• Olivebacks, genus Nesocharis
• White-collared Oliveback, Nesocharis ansorgei
• Fernando Po Oliveback, Nesocharis shelleyi
• Grey-headed Oliveback, Nesocharis capistrata
• Pytilias, genus Pytilia
• Orange-winged Pytilia, Pytilia afra
• Red-winged Pytilia, Pytilia phoenicoptera
• Green-winged Pytilia, Pytilia melba
• Red-faced Pytilia, Pytilia hypogrammica
• Green-backed Twinspot, Mandingoa nitidula
• Crimson-wings, genus Cryptospiza
• Red-faced Crimson-wing, Cryptospiza reichenovii
• Abyssinian Crimson-wing, Cryptospiza salvadorii
• Dusky Crimson-wing, Cryptospiza jacksoni
• Shelley's Crimson-wing, Cryptospiza shelleyi
• Seedcrackers, genus Pyrenestes
• Crimson Seedcracker, Pyrenestes sanguineus
• Black-bellied Seedcracker, Pyrenestes ostrinus
• Lesser Seedcracker, Pyrenestes minor
• Bluebills, genus Spermophaga
• Grant's Bluebill, Spermophaga poliogenys
• Western Bluebill, Spermophaga haematina
• Red-headed Bluebill, Spermophaga ruficapilla
• Twinspots, genera Clytospiza, Hypargos, Euschistospiza
• Brown Twinspot, Clytospiza monteiri
• Peters' Twinspot, Hypargos niveoguttatus
• Pink-throated Twinspot, Hypargos margaritatus
• Dybowski's Twinspot, Euschistospiza dybowskii
• Dusky Twinspot, Euschistospiza cinereovinacea
• Firefinches, genus Lagonosticta
• Bar-breasted Firefinch, Lagonosticta rufopicta
• Brown Firefinch, Lagonosticta nitidula
• Red-billed Firefinch, Lagonosticta senegala
• Black-bellied Firefinch, Lagonosticta rara
• African Firefinch, Lagonosticta rubricata
• Pale-billed Firefinch, Lagonosticta landanae
• Jameson's Firefinch, Lagonosticta rhodopareia
• Mali Firefinch, Lagonosticta virata
• Rock Firefinch, Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis
• Black-faced Firefinch, Lagonosticta larvata
• Reichenow's Firefinch, Lagonosticta umbrinodorsalis
• Cordon-bleus, genus Uraeginthus
• Blue-breasted Cordon-bleu, Uraeginthus angolensis
• Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Uraeginthus bengalus
• Blue-capped Cordon-bleu, Uraeginthus cyanocephalus
• Purple Grenadier, Uraeginthus ianthinogaster
• Violet-eared Waxbill, Uraeginthus granatina
• Waxbills, genus Estrilda
• Lavender Waxbill, Estrilda caerulescens
• Black-tailed Waxbill, Estrilda perreini
• Cinderella Waxbill, Estrilda thomensis
• Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Estrilda quartinia
• Swee Waxbill, Estrilda melanotis
• Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Estrilda paludicola
• Anambra Waxbill, Estrilda poliopareia
• Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Estrilda melpoda
• Arabian Waxbill, Estrilda rufibarba
• Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda rhodopyga
• Black-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda troglodytes
• Common Waxbill, Estrilda astrild
• Black-faced Waxbill, Estrilda nigriloris
• Black-crowned Waxbill, Estrilda nonnula
• Black-headed Waxbill, Estrilda atricapilla
• Black-cheeked Waxbill, Estrilda erythronotos
• Red-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda charmosyna
• Avadavats, genus Amandava
• Red Avadavat, Amandava amandava
• Green Avadavat, Amandava formosa
• Zebra Waxbill, Amandava subflava
• Quailfinches, genus Ortygospiza
• Red-billed Quailfinch, Ortygospiza gabonensis
• African Quailfinch, Ortygospiza atricollis
• Locustfinch, Ortygospiza locustella
• Firetails, genera Emblema, Stagonopleura, Oreostruthus, Neochmia
• Painted Firetail, Emblema pictum
• Beautiful Firetail, Stagonopleura bella
• Red-eared Firetail, Stagonopleura oculata
• Diamond Firetail, Stagonopleura guttata
• Mountain Firetail, Oreostruthus fuliginosus
• Red-browed Firetail, Neochmia temporalis
• Crimson Finch, Neochmia phaeton
• Star Finch, Neochmia ruficauda
• Plum-headed Finch, Neochmia modesta
• Zebra finches, genera Taeniopygia, Poephila
• Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata
• Chestnut-eared Finch, Taeniopygia castanotis
• Double-barred Finch, Taeniopygia bichenovii
• Masked Finch, Poephila personata
• Long-tailed Finch, Poephila acuticauda
• Black-throated Finch, Poephila cincta
• Parrotfinches, genus Erythrura
• Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch, Erythrura hyperythra
• Pin-tailed Parrotfinch, Erythrura prasina
• Green-faced Parrotfinch, Erythrura viridifacies
• Tricolored Parrotfinch, Erythrura tricolor
• Blue-faced Parrotfinch, Erythrura trichroa
• Red-eared Parrotfinch, Erythrura coloria
• Papuan Parrotfinch, Erythrura papuana
• Red-throated Parrotfinch, Erythrura psittacea
• Fiji Parrotfinch, Erythrura pealii
• Red-headed Parrotfinch, Erythrura cyaneovirens
• Royal Parrotfinch, Erythrura regia
• Pink-billed Parrotfinch, Erythrura kleinschmidti
• Gouldian Finch, Chloebia gouldiae
• Munias and Silverbills, genus Lonchura
• Madagascar Munia, Lonchura nana
• African Silverbill, Lonchura cantans
• Indian Silverbill, Lonchura malabarica
• Grey-headed Silverbill, Lonchura griseicapilla
• Bronze Mannikin, Lonchura cucullata
• Black-and-white Mannikin, Lonchura bicolor
• Brown-backed Mannikin, Lonchura nigriceps
• Magpie Mannikin, Lonchura fringilloides
• White-rumped Munia, Lonchura striata
• Javan Munia, Lonchura leucogastroides
• Dusky Munia, Lonchura fuscans
• Black-faced Munia, Lonchura molucca
• Black-throated Munia, Lonchura kelaarti
• Scaly-breasted Munia, Lonchura punctulata
• White-bellied Munia, Lonchura leucogastra
• Streak-headed Munia, Lonchura tristissima
• Black-headed Munia, Lonchura malacca
• Chestnut Munia, Lonchura atricapilla
• White-capped Munia, Lonchura ferruginosa
• Cream-bellied Munia, Lonchura pallidiventer
• Five-colored Munia, Lonchura quinticolor
• White-headed Munia, Lonchura maja
• Pale-headed Munia, Lonchura pallida
• Grand Munia, Lonchura grandis
• Grey-banded Munia, Lonchura vana
• Grey-crowned Munia, Lonchura nevermanni
• Hooded Munia, Lonchura spectabilis
• Grey-headed Munia, Lonchura caniceps
• Mottled Munia, Lonchura hunsteini
• New Ireland Munia, Lonchura forbesi
• New Hanover Munia, Lonchura nigerrima
• Yellow-rumped Munia, Lonchura flaviprymna
• Chestnut-breasted Munia, Lonchura castaneothorax
• Black Munia, Lonchura stygia
• Black-breasted Munia, Lonchura teerinki
• Snow Mountain Munia, Lonchura montana
• Alpine Munia, Lonchura monticola
• Bismarck Munia, Lonchura melaena
• Pictorella Munia, Heteromunia pectoralis
• Java Sparrows, genus Padda
• Java Sparrow, Padda oryzivora
• Timor Dusky Sparrow, Padda fuscata
• Cut-throats, genus Amadina
• Cut-throat, Amadina fasciata
• Red-headed Finch Amadina erythrocephala