From Opus

Photo by Tom Tarrant
Location: Bigodi Swamp, Uganda

Estrilda nonnula

[edit] 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.

[edit] Distribution

Western-central Africa.

[edit] Taxonomy

There are 3 subspecies:

• E. n. nonnula
• E. n. eisentrauti
• E. n. elizae

[edit] Habitat

Forest clearings, forest edge, cultivated areas or savanna with abundance of bushes.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Diet

The diet includes grass seeds, termites and buds.

[edit] Breeding

It nests usually in a bush or tree, one to about six metres high. Several nests may be sited in the same tree. The nest built of grass stems usually with a shortish entrance tube sloping down and lined with feathers, vegetable down and fine fibres.

Four to six eggs are laid and are incubated by both sexes for 11 to 13 days. Young fledge at 20 to 22 days.

[edit] References

1. Waxbill Finch Society

[edit] External Links