- Estrilda nonnula
Identification
11-12cm
Male
- Black lores and forehead to crown and nape
- Ash-grey back and wing coverts, finely barred dark grey or black
- Deep crimson rump and upper tail coverts
- Black tail rounded at the tip
- White face
- Greyish tinge on sides of breast, lower breast and flanks
- Undertail coverts tinged grey
- Small crimson patch on lower flanks
- Bill patterned in light red and black on both mandibles
Female - similar to male
- Slightly greyer brown mantle with less distinct barring
- White parts are usually more suffused with grey particularly in vent area.
Distribution
Africa
Western Africa: Guinea, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania
African Islands: Gulf of Guinea Islands, Bioko (Fernando Po)
Western-central Africa.
Taxonomy
There are 3 subspecies:
- E. n. nonnula:
- Burkina Faso to south-eastern Nigeria, Uganda, western Kenya and north-western Tanzania
- E. n. elizae:
- Bioko (Gulf of Guinea)
- E. n. eisentrauti:
- Southern Cameroon (Mount Cameroon)
Habitat
Jungle edges, papyrus swamps and gardens.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes grass seeds, termites and buds.
Breeding
The nest is usually placed in a bush or tree, between one and six metres high. There may be several nests in the same tree. It has a short entrance tunnel; it is lined with feathers and other fine material. The clutch of 4-6 eggs is incubated by both adults for up to 13 days. The young fledge between 20 and 22 days.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Avibase
- BF Member observations
- Waxbill Finch Society
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Black-crowned Waxbill. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-crowned_Waxbill
External Links
Search the Gallery using the scientific name:
Search the Gallery Using the common name:
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
