African Firefinch
Lagonosticta rubricata
Small brown and reddish waxbill with a blue-gray bill and black under the tail. Varies geographically, but in many areas, has a mostly gray head. Found along forest edge and in cultivation, thick woodland, and scrub. Usually in pairs or small groups. Call is a short, low trill. Quiet song is a mix of low trills and much higher-pitched whines and whistles. Similar to Red-billed and Bar-breasted firefinches but shows black under the tail. Subspecies without gray on the head can be extremely similar to Jameson’s Firefinch, but they are darker and less pinkish overall.
Identification
The African firefinch is a small red or red and brown species of estrildid finch. The male has a lead grey crown, nape and neck, merging on to an olive brown mantles with the scapulars, wing coverts and tertials also olive brown, sometimes with a grey tinge. The rump, uppertail coverts, outer tail fathers are deep carmine red, the rest of the tail is black. The underparts from the chin to the belly are deep scarlet, with small white spots on the upper breast and flanks, the scarlet of the flanks continues to the side of the rump. The centre of the belly is greyish becoming black on the vent and the undertail coverts. the short, pointed bill is blackish-grey with a pink base to the lower mandible. The female is similar to the male but is less intensely coloured; juveniles lack any red on the underparts. The African firefinch measures 10–11 cm (3.9–4.3 in) in length and weighs 8.6–11.7 g (0.30–0.41 oz).<p>The song, which is given by both sexes, is made up of various ringing notes which are randomly repeated and interspersed with squeaky whistle, trills and warbles. The alarm call is a harsh ticking which resembles the call of the Eurasian wren. More usual calls are rising trilling twitter " trrrrrrrr-t" and a loud clear "tui-tui-tui-tui", which is often followed by "wink-wink-wink".
Taxonomy
The African firefinch was formally described in 1823 by the German naturalist Hinrich Lichtenstein. He placed it with the finches in the genus Fringilla and coined the binomial name Fringilla rubricata. Lichtenstein gave the locality as "terra Caffrorum". This has been restricted to the town of Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The specific epithet rubricata is from Latin rubricatus meaning "orange-red" or "ruddy". The African firefinch is now placed in the genus Lagonosticta that was introduced in 1851 by Jean Cabanis. An alternative common name for this species is the blue-billed firefinch.<p>Five subspecies are recognised.<p>The subspecies L. r. landanae has sometimes been treated as a separate species with the common name as either the Landana firefinch or the pale-billed firefinch. It differs from the other subspecies mainly in the bill colour but its plumage is very close to that of L. r. haematocephala.
- Scientific name
- Lagonosticta rubricata
- Authority
- (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Genus
- Lagonosticta
Range and habitat
The African firefinch occurs in patches across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal east to Ethiopia then south to the southern Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania south through Mozambique to the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.<p>It generally prefers humid, thickly vegetated habitats such as bracken Pteridium aquilinum at forest edges, savanna with acacia woodland, rank grass within and belowscrub or thornbush, along streams and rivers with thick vegetation, often near quiet paths or roads. The African firefinch can also be seen in and around gardens and rural villages but not as commonly as some other firefinch species.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The African firefinch mainly feeds on seeds which are supplemented with insects, it mostly forages on the ground, searching through the soil looking for food. It occurs in pairs or small family parties and may mix with other firefinches, staying close to cover and retreating quickly into the cover if alarmed.<p>The male builds the nest, which is a round structure with a side entrance, the outer shell consists of long, dry grass blades and there is an inner shell of soft grass inflorescences, this is sometimes lined with feathers. The nest is typically hidden deep in long, thick grass, bracken-briar undergrowth or in grass growing among fallen branches or tree stumps. The 2-5 eggs are laid, in southern Africa, from November–June, with a peak from January–April, further north it breeds later in the year. Both sexes incubate the eggs, incubation lasting about 12 days, once hatched the chicks are fed both parents for 2–3 weeks up to fledging, after which they are fed for 10 more days at which point they become fully independent. The dusky indigobird is a brood parasite of the African firefinch.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Empidonax flaviventris
Small flycatcher, extremely similar to several other species. Generally shy and inconspicuous; breeds in spruce forests often near boggy areas. Migrants tend to be found in denser wet areas within woods. Olive-greenish above with distinctive yellow wash on throat and belly. Black wings with bold white wingbars. Nearly identical to Western Flycatchers, but limited range overlap. Within range, main confusion species is Least Flycatcher. Bright yellow throat and belly is usually enough to identify Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, but some worn birds can be very similar. Song is similar to Least Flycatcher ("chebek") but more slurred, with a soft buzzy tone. Not frequently repeated like Least Flycatcher. Soft whistled call note, "pwee," unlike Least's sharp "whit" call.
Speckled Wood-Pigeon
Columba hodgsonii
Uniquely colored large pigeon of mid- to high-altitude broadleaf and mixed forests. Grayish overall, with a deep maroon back, ashy gray head, chestnut streaking on the belly, and fine white spots on the upperwing. Usually seen in pairs or small flocks, feeding at fruiting trees. Listen out for its call, a deep, booming ‘Woo-hoo! Hooo…hooo,’ often heard emanating from the canopy.
Black Scimitarbill
Rhinopomastus aterrimus
This all-black bird has a long, slim bill, and a fairly long tail. In flight, white bars across the wings are revealed. Birds in the eastern part of the range also have white in the outer tail, while the western birds have all-black tails. Found in a variety of savanna habitats. The call is a series of fluted, rising “wheet” notes; similar to Common Scimitarbill, but higher-pitched. Also similar in appearance to Common Scimitarbill, but there is little overlap in range, and Black is separated by its straighter bill and slightly shorter and less pointed tail. Separated from woodhoopoes by its shorter, less floppy, and squarer tail.
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