From Opus

Photo by Mybs
Knysna, South Africa

Estrilda astrild

[edit] Identification

11-13 cm. Grey brown, dark brown barred body, red eyestripe, white cheeks and throat, red stripe along centre of belly, brown rump, dark tail, bright red bill. Female - similar, paler, less red on belly. Juvenile - little or no red on belly, fainter barring, black bill.

[edit] Distribution

Most of sub-Saharan Africa.

[edit] Taxonomy

Estrilda astrild has 13 subspecies:¹

• E. a. kempi
• E. a. occidentalis
• E. a. rubriventris
• E. a. jagoensis
• E. a. angolensis
• E. a. niediecki
• E. a. damarensis
• E. a. peasei
• E. a. minor
• E. a. massaica
• E. a. cavendishi
• E. a. schoutedeni
• E. a. astrild

[edit] Habitat

Long grass, scrub and reeds, often near water.

[edit] Behaviour

The ball shaped nest is built in a cavity from grass; there is a downward-pointing entrance tube on one side. 4-7 white eggs are laid, and incubated by both sexes for 11-13 days; the young are cared for by both sexes and fledge 17-21 days later.

The diet includes grass seeds and some insects.

[edit] References

1. Clements JF. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

Wikipedia

[edit] External Links