The
red-billed firefinch is 10 cm in length. The adult male has
entirely scarlet plumage apart from brown wings. The bill is pink, and
there is a yellow eye-ring. Females have uniformly brown upper parts and
buff underparts. There is a small red patch in front of both eyes, and
the bill is pink.
This widespread and abundant species is often found around human habitation, often with other species such as the
red-cheeked cordon-bleu, and its soft
queet-queet call is a familiar African sound.
The red-billed firefinch is a small gregarious bird which feeds
mainly on grain and other seeds. It frequents open grassland and
cultivation. The nest is a large domed grass structure with a side
entrance, built low in a bush, wall or thatch into which three to six
white eggs are laid.
(Wikipedia)
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Firefinches |