© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Lavender Waxbill
Latin: Estrilda caerulescens
Other: Astrild queue-de-vinaigre (Fr), Schönbürzel (De), lavendelastrild (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Waxbills
Range: W, C Africa
Similar:

The Lavender Waxbill is a very pretty little seedeater, predominantly light grey with crimson tail and bill and black lores. White spots on side sometimes visible.

In the Gambia, I didn’t find them as easy to get good views of as some of the other estrildid finches - I saw them once or twice in areas with tall grasses, in pairs rather than groups. Also in the company of Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu.

Below, Lavender Waxbill drinks from water drum, Gunjur, Gambia, Mar 2013


Below, Lavender Waxbill in long grass, Gunjur, Gambia, Mar 2013
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Mar 2013

Bird name: Orange Cheeked Waxbill
Latin: Estrilda melpoda
Other: Astrild à joues orange (Fr), Orangebäckchen (De), Oranjekaakje (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Waxbills
Range: W, C Africa
Similar:

The Orange-cheeked Waxbill was another estrildid finch that didn’t seem to visit the lodges, but was seen out in the scrub and in Abuko. One bush near the beach in Kartong seemed to contain dozens of the little birds - I couldn’t work out if they were flying through or a colony living in the bush. Elsewhere I saw them in pairs. Mostly in the Kartong area.

Below, Orange-cheeked Waxbill in large group, Kartong, Gambia, Mar 2013
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Red Billed Firefinch
Latin: Lagonosticta senegala
Other: Amarante du Sénégal (Fr), Senegalamarant (De), vuurvink (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar:

The Red-billed Firefinch was quite common throughout the Gambia, often in mixed flocks with other estrildid finches and Village Indigobirds, which are brood parasites of their species.

Male Red-billed Firefinches are mostly red with yellow ring around the eye. Females only have red supercilium and lores, and reddish bill.

Often visited lodge water pots at Farakunku and Marakissa.

Below, female and male Red-billed Firefinch at Abuko, Gambia, Feb 2013.


Below, male Red-billed Firefinch at Farakunku lodge, Gambia, Feb 2013.
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Bronze Mannikin
Latin: Lonchura cucullata
Other: Bronze Munia. Capucin nonnette (Fr), Kleinelsterchen (De), gewoon ekstertje (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Munias
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar:

Bronze Mannikins were common at water pots in lodges in the Gambia in February and March, especially at midday. Invariably quite a crowd of them arrive together, sometimes a dozen drinking from the same pot at the same time.

Bronze Mannikins are brown, with barred rump and small emerald patch on the shoulder and some green on head. Adults have a well-delineated white belly and dark chest. Juveniles are all brown. Frequently seen.

Below, Bronze Mannikin drink in group, Marakissa, Gambia, Feb 2013


Below, juvenile Bronze Mannikin on right. Gambia, March 2013
More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Mar 2013

Bird name: Red Cheeked Cordon Bleu
Latin: Uraeginthus bengalus
Other: Cordonbleu à joues rouges (fr), Schmetterlingsfink (De), blauwfazantje (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Cordon-bleus
Range: W, C, E Africa
Similar: Blue Waxbill

The Red-cheeked Cordon-Bleu was often found in mixed flocks of similar-sized birds in grasslands in the Gambia, but hard to approach for photos. Often pecking and scratching in dusty ground.

Male Red-cheeked Cordon Bleus have the prominent red cheek, which is absent on females.

I didn’t see any for a week and then saw them very frequently.

Below, female/juvenile Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu. Gambia, Mar 2013.
More photos...

© Tom C - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Red-throated Twinspot
Latin: Hypargos niveoguttatus
Other: Peter’s Twinspot
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: E, SE Africa
Similar:

Thanks to Tom C for this record pic of a Red-throated Twinspot in Tanzania.

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Black-rumped Waxbill
Latin: Estrilda troglodytes
Other: Astrild cendré (Fr), Grauastrild (De), napoleonnetje (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Waxbills
Range: W, C, EC Africa
Similar:

The Black-rumped Waxbill has a distinctive red line through the eye and red bill. Seen here in Janjanbureh.More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Cut Throat Finch
Latin: Amadina fasciata
Other: Amadine cou-coupé (Fr), bandvink (De)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Waxbills
Range: Sub-Saharan Africa
Similar:

We saw these Cut-throat Finches in a mixed flock with Exclamatory Paradise Whydahs.

There are three Cut-throat Finches in the middle and left of the photo above - two males with red mark to the throat, one female without red band further to the left.

Cut-throat Finches use nests constructed by other birds.More photos...

© GW - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Gambia, Feb 2013

Bird name: Western Bluebill
Latin: Spermophaga haematina
Other: Sénégali sanguin (fr), Rotbrust-Samenknacker (De)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: W, C Africa
Similar:

Just managed a record shot of this Western Bluebill in Abuko, before someone walked in front… Grrr :-)

© Alexia W - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Kinshasa, Dec 2010

Bird name: Blue Waxbill
Latin: Uraeginthus angolensis
Other: Blue-breasted Cordon Bleu, Southern Cordon-bleu. Cordonbleu d'Angola (Fr)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Cordon-bleus
Range: Southern Africa
Similar: female Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu

Above, near a waterfall near Kinshasa, DRC. It looks very similar to female Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu but Blue Waxbill is the common type in Kinshasa.More photos...

© André S - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Lake Victoria, Oct 2009

Bird name: Blue Capped Cordon Bleu
Latin: Uraeginthus cyanocephalus
Other: Cordonbleu cyanocéphale (Fr), Blaukopfschmetterlingsfink (De), blauwkopastrild (Nl)
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches, Cordon-bleus
Range: E Africa
Similar:

A Blue-capped Cordon-Bleu seen by André at Lake Victoria in Tanzania.

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Nice

Bird name: Java Sparrow
Latin: Lonchura oryzivora
Other:
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: Java, cage bird worldwide
Similar:

This Java Sparrow had escaped and found a home in the Parc Phoenix in Nice, picking up tiny crumbs of food given to the ducks. In native Java it is endangered as it is considered a pest to rice cultivation. But the Java Sparrow has been bred extensively as a cage bird in China and Japan, the USA (now banned in some places) and Europe.More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved

Bird name: Zebra Finch
Latin: Taeniopygia guttata
Other:
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: Lesser Sundas, Central Australia
Similar:

The Zebra Finches pictured are zoo birds, but their natural habitat is Australia and neighbouring Indonesia. The orange cheek above indicates an adult male. Females lack the orange patch but so do some males.More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved • Nice

Bird name: Indian Silverbill
Latin: Euodice malabarica
Other: Lonchura malabarica • White Throated Munia
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: India, Sri Lanka, Asia, SC Asia + S France etc.
Similar:

Another introduced species, the small Indian Silverbill is common in Nice, and nests among the reeds. Quite easy to see, as it is not shy. Probably originally from escaped cagebirds.More photos...

© monacoeye • All rights reserved

Bird name: Bengalese Finch
Latin: Lonchura striata domestica
Other: Society Finch, White-rumped Munia, White-rumped Mannikin, Striated Finch
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range: Domestic
Similar:

This is a domestic hybrid Munia, descended from the White-rumped Munia L. striata.

© André S - monacoeye • all rights reserved • Tanzania, Oct 2009

Bird name: Purple Grenadier
Latin: Uraeginthus ianthinogaster
Other:
Family: Estrildidae • Estrildid Finches
Range:
Similar:

A couple of record shots of a male Purple Grenadier taken near Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, by André, showing the main distinguishing features.
More photos...

215 Estrildidae - Estrildid Finches Waxbills, Munias & Allies - IOC 2.5 - 2010

Parmoptila woodhousei - Woodhouse's Antpecker - WC Africa
Parmoptila rubrifrons - Red-fronted Antpecker - W Africa
Parmoptila jamesoni - Jameson's Antpecker - C Africa

Nigrita fusconotus - White-breasted Nigrita - W, C Africa
Nigrita bicolor - Chestnut-breasted Nigrita - W, C Africa
Nigrita luteifrons - Pale-fronted Nigrita - C Africa
Nigrita canicapillus - Grey-headed Nigrita - W, C Africa

Nesocharis shelleyi - Shelley's Oliveback - WC Africa
Nesocharis ansorgei - White-collared Oliveback - EC Africa
Nesocharis capistrata - Grey-headed Oliveback - W, C Africa

Pytilia lineata - Red-billed Pytilia - Ethiopia
Pytilia phoenicoptera - Red-winged Pytilia - W, C Africa
Pytilia hypogrammica - Yellow-winged Pytilia - W, C Africa
Pytilia afra - Orange-winged Pytilia - EC, SC Africa
Pytilia melba - Green-winged Pytilia - W, C, E, S Africa

Amadina erythrocephala - Red-headed Finch - SW, S Africa
Amadina fasciata - Cut-throat Finch - W, C, E Africa

Mandingoa nitidula - Green Twinspot - W, C, E, SE Africa

Cryptospiza reichenovii - Red-faced Crimsonwing - WC, C, SE Africa
Cryptospiza salvadorii - Abyssinian Crimsonwing - EC, E Africa
Cryptospiza jacksoni - Dusky Crimsonwing - EC Africa
Cryptospiza shelleyi - Shelley's Crimsonwing - EC Africa

Pyrenestes ostrinus - Black-bellied Seedcracker - WC, C Africa
Pyrenestes sanguineus - Crimson Seedcracker - W Africa
Pyrenestes minor - Lesser Seedcracker - SE Africa

Spermophaga poliogenys - Grant's Bluebill - C Africa
Spermophaga haematina - Western Bluebill - W, C Africa
Spermophaga ruficapilla - Red-headed Bluebill - C, EC Africa

Clytospiza monteiri - Brown Twinspot - C Africa

Hypargos margaritatus - Pink-throated Twinspot - SE Africa
Hypargos niveoguttatus - Red-throated Twinspot - E, SE Africa

Euschistospiza dybowskii - Dybowski's Twinspot - W, C Africa
Euschistospiza cinereovinacea - Dusky Twinspot - C Africa

Lagonosticta rara - Black-bellied Firefinch - W, C, E Africa
Lagonosticta rufopicta - Bar-breasted Firefinch - W, C Africa
Lagonosticta nitidula - Brown Firefinch - SC Africa
Lagonosticta senegala - Red-billed Firefinch - W, EC, E, S Africa
Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis - Rock Firefinch - Nigeria
Lagonosticta umbrinodorsalis - Chad Firefinch - WC Africa
Lagonosticta virata - Mali Firefinch - W Africa
Lagonosticta rubricata - African Firefinch - W, C, SE, S Africa
Lagonosticta landanae - Landana Firefinch - WC Africa
Lagonosticta rhodopareia - Jameson's Firefinch - E, SC Africa
Lagonosticta larvata - Black-faced Firefinch - Sudan & Ethiopia to W, C Africa - New name

Uraeginthus angolensis - Blue Waxbill - S Africa
Uraeginthus bengalus - Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu - W, C, E Africa
Uraeginthus cyanocephalus - Blue-capped Cordon-bleu - E Africa
Uraeginthus granatinus - Violet-eared Waxbill - S Africa
Uraeginthus ianthinogaster - Purple Grenadier - E Africa

Estrilda caerulescens - Lavender Waxbill - W, C Africa
Estrilda perreini - Grey Waxbill - WC, C, SE Africa
Estrilda thomensis - Cinderella Waxbill - W Angola, NW Namibia
Estrilda melanotis - Swee Waxbill - SW, S Africa
Estrilda quartinia - Yellow-bellied Waxbill - EC, SE Africa
Estrilda poliopareia - Anambra Waxbill - Nigeria
Estrilda paludicola - Fawn-breasted Waxbill - C, EC Africa
Estrilda ochrogaster - Abyssinian Waxbill - NE Africa
Estrilda melpoda - Orange-cheeked Waxbill - W, C Africa
Estrilda rhodopyga - Crimson-rumped Waxbill - NE, E Africa
Estrilda rufibarba - Arabian Waxbill - SW Arabian Peninsula
Estrilda troglodytes - Black-rumped Waxbill - W, C, EC Africa
Estrilda astrild - Common Waxbill - W, C, E, S Africa
Estrilda nigriloris - Black-lored Waxbill - Democratic Republic of the Congo
Estrilda nonnula - Black-crowned Waxbill - C Africa
Estrilda atricapilla - Black-headed Waxbill - C Africa
Estrilda erythronotos - Black-faced Waxbill - S, E Africa
Estrilda charmosyna - Black-cheeked Waxbill - E Africa

Amandava amandava - Red Avadavat - Widespread Asia
Amandava formosa - Green Avadavat - C India
Amandava subflava - Orange-breasted Waxbill - W, C, E, S Africa

Ortygospiza atricollis - Black-faced Quail-Finch - W, C Africa
Ortygospiza fuscocrissa - African Quail-Finch - E, S Africa
Ortygospiza gabonensis - Black-chinned Quail-Finch - C Africa

Paludipasser locustella - Locust Finch - SC, SE Africa - Unrelated to Ortygospiza ?

Emblema pictum - Painted Finch - C Australia

Stagonopleura bella - Beautiful Firetail - SE Australia
Stagonopleura oculata - Red-eared Firetail - SW Australia
Stagonopleura guttata - Diamond Firetail - SC, SE, E Australia

Oreostruthus fuliginosus - Mountain Firetail - New Guinea

Neochmia temporalis - Red-browed Finch - E, SE Australia
Neochmia phaeton - Crimson Finch - SC New Guinea, N Australia
Neochmia ruficauda - Star Finch - NW, N se Australia
Neochmia modesta - Plum-headed Finch - E Australia

Poephila personata - Masked Finch - N Australia
Poephila acuticauda - Long-tailed Finch - N Australia - Not Violet-eared Waxbill
Poephila cincta - Black-throated Finch - N, NE Australia

Taeniopygia guttata - Zebra Finch - Lesser Sundas, C Australia
Taeniopygia bichenovii - Double-barred Finch - N, NE Australia

Erythrura hyperythra - Tawny-breasted Parrot-Finch - Philippines & Malaysia to Java & Lesser Sundas
Erythrura prasina - Pin-tailed Parrot-Finch - Thailand to Java & Borneo
Erythrura viridifacies - Green-faced Parrot-Finch - Philippines
Erythrura tricolor - Tricolored Parrot-Finch - Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas
Erythrura coloria - Red-eared Parrot-Finch - Philippines
Erythrura trichroa - Blue-faced Parrot-Finch - Widespread Australasia
Erythrura papuana - Papuan Parrot-Finch - New Guinea
Erythrura psittacea - Red-throated Parrot-Finch - New Caledonia
Erythrura cyaneovirens - Red-headed Parrot-Finch - Samoa
Erythrura regia - Royal Parrot-Finch - Vanuatu, Banks - Split from E. cyaneovirens
Erythrura pealii - Fiji Parrot-Finch - Fiji - Split from E. cyaneovirens
Erythrura kleinschmidti - Pink-billed Parrot-Finch - Fiji Islands
Erythrura gouldiae - Gouldian Finch - N Australia

Lemuresthes nana - Madagascar Mannikin - Madagascar

Euodice cantans - African Silverbill - W, C, E, Africa, also SW Arabian Peninsula - Was Lonchura
Euodice malabarica - Indian Silverbill - India, Sri Lanka, Asia, also SC Asia - Was Lonchura

Odontospiza griseicapilla - Grey-headed Silverbill - E Africa - Was Lonchura

Lonchura cucullata - Bronze Mannikin - W, C, E, S Africa
Lonchura bicolor - Black-and-white Mannikin - W, C, E Africa
Lonchura nigriceps - Red-backed Mannikin - S Africa
Lonchura fringilloides - Magpie Mannikin - W, C, SE Africa
Lonchura striata - White-rumped Munia - Widespread Asia - Bengalese Finch
Lonchura leucogastroides - Javan Munia - Sumatra, Java
Lonchura fuscans - Dusky Munia - Borneo, Philippines
Lonchura molucca - Black-faced Munia - Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas
Lonchura punctulata - Scaly-breasted Munia - Widespread Asia, also Sulawesi & Lesser Sundas
Lonchura kelaarti - Black-throated Munia - India, Sri Lanka
Lonchura leucogastra - White-bellied Munia - Malay Peninsula to Philippines
Lonchura tristissima - Streak-headed Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura leucosticta - White-spotted Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura quinticolor - Five-colored Munia - Lesser Sundas
Lonchura malacca - Tricolored Munia - S India, Sri Lanka - Was Black-headed Munia
Lonchura atricapilla - Chestnut Munia - India to Indonesia, Philippines - Split from L. malacca
Lonchura maja - White-headed Munia - Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java
Lonchura pallida - Pale-headed Munia - Sulawesi, Lesser Sundas
Lonchura grandis - Great-billed Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura vana - Grey-banded Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura caniceps - Grey-headed Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura nevermanni - Grey-crowned Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura spectabilis - Hooded Mannikin - New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago - New name
Lonchura forbesi - Forbes's Mannikin - Bismarck Archipelago - New name
Lonchura hunsteini - Hunstein's Mannikin - Bismarck Archipelago, Caroline Islands - New name
Lonchura flaviprymna - Yellow-rumped Mannikin - NW Australia - New name
Lonchura castaneothorax - Chestnut-breasted Mannikin - New Guinea, N, E Australia - New name
Lonchura stygia - Black Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura teerinki - Black-breasted Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura monticola - Eastern Alpine Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura montana - Western Alpine Mannikin - New Guinea - New name
Lonchura melaena - Buff-bellied Mannikin - Bismarck Archipelago, Solomon Islands - New name
Lonchura fuscata - Timor Sparrow - Lesser Sundas
Lonchura oryzivora - Java Sparrow - Java

Heteromunia pectoralis - Pictorella Mannikin - N Australia - New name