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species. The waxbills typically forage in flocks which may contain hundreds or even thousands of birds. They usually feed by clinging to the stems with their long, spindly claws and picking from the flower heads but they will also search for fallen seeds on the ground. They need to drink regularly as
513:
giving the bird its name. The plumage is mostly grey-brown, finely barred with dark brown. There is a red stripe through the eye and the cheeks and throat are whitish. There is often a pinkish flush to the underparts and a reddish stripe along the centre of the belly depending on the subspecies. The
741:
is a large ball of criss-crossed grass stems with a long downward-pointing entrance tube on one side. It is built in a cavity, usually low down amongst dense vegetation. A rudimentary second nest ("cock's nest") may be built on top where the male sleeps. Four to seven white
609:
Birds have often escaped from captivity or been deliberately released. Breeding populations have become established in many places where the climate is sufficiently warm and where there is a sufficient supply of grass seeds. They are now found on many islands around Africa:
529:. The black-rumped waxbill is black rather than brown on the rump and has a pale vent (area underneath the tail). The crimson-rumped waxbill has a dark bill, red rump and some red on the wings and tail. The black-lored waxbill (found only in the
514:
rump is brown and the tail and vent are dark. Females are similar to the males but are paler with less red on the belly. Juveniles are duller with little or no red on the belly, fainter dark barring and a black bill.
1020:"List of birds of the Anglo-Indian Sudan, based on the collections of Mr. A.L. Butler, Mr. A. Chapman and Capt. H. Lynes, R.N., and Major Cuthbert Christy, R.A.M.C. (T.F.). Part I. Corvidae - Fringillidae"
710:. In Spain it has been introduced in the largest cities in the last ten years and is now quite commonly seen in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, as well as along the Spanish-Portuguese border.
849:
754:
17 to 21 days after hatching. Both parents take part in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The timing of the breeding season varies in different parts of the world. Nests may be
265:
but has been introduced to many other regions of the world and now has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km. It is popular and easy to keep in captivity.
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inches and a weight of 3/5 to 3/4 ounce. It has a slender body with short rounded wings and a long graduated tail. The bright red bill of the adult is the colour of
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796:) are perhaps the most important dietary components for waxbills as they have seed heads available year-round. Other important sources include crabgrass (
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Systema
Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis
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is uncertain. It may either be from a German or Dutch avicultural term for a waxbill or alternatively it may be a misprint for
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308:. Linnaeus based his description on the "Wax Bill" that had been described and illustrated in 1751 by the English naturalist
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The common waxbill has a variety of twittering and buzzing calls and a distinctive high-pitched flight-call. The simple
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646:. They may possibly be native on some of these islands. In Europe the common waxbill has become widespread in
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1000:. Vol. Part IV. London: Printed for the author at the College of Physicians. p. 179, Plate 179.
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955:(in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. pp. 173–174.
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which lays its eggs in the nests of estrildid finches. In captivity they will breed in an
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are also eaten on occasions, especially during the breeding season when more
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and rank vegetation. They are often found near water in marshes and among
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375:, 1852 – south Mali and Ivory Coast to north DR Congo and Bioko Island
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430:, 1900 – south DR Congo and south Tanzania to Zimbabwe and Mozambique
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1071:"On several groups and forms in ornithology, not hitherto defined"
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402:, 1916 – east DR Congo, Uganda, west Kenya to northwest Tanzania
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601:. They can be tame and will enter gardens, parks and farmland.
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It is a small bird, 4 to 5 inches in length with a wingspan of
320:
as "Canaries, America, Africa" but this was restricted to
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they are more local with the main population centred on
1128:
Soanes, Catherine & Stevenson, Angus (eds.) (2005)
1173:
1171:
1169:
1160:
The Online Guide to the
Animals of Trinidad and Tobago
533:) has a black rather than red stripe through the eye.
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that was introduced in 1827 by the
English naturalist
477:, 1758) – south Botswana and west, south South Africa
1224:
925:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22719574A131995211.en
540:is harsh and nasal and descends on the last note.
593:. Common waxbills inhabit open country with long
577:except for regions of desert or dense forest. In
436:Reichenow, 1916 – central Angola to west Zimbabwe
1142:
1140:
1138:
778:The diet consists mainly of grass and millet
8:
968:The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names
1190:. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
790:is needed. Of these seeds, guinea grasses (
332:in 1918. This species is now placed in the
1212:
210:
59:
29:
20:
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451:, 1898 – coastal west Angola and São Tomé
362:, 1930 – Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia
970:. London: Christopher Helm. p. 57.
411:, 1907 – central Kenya to north Tanzania
892:
817:
750:for 11 to 13 days and the young birds
1110:. International Ornithologists' Union
1090:
1088:
7:
1410:e90444dc-1df2-4806-80a7-3e7d817e8f98
1162:. The University of the West Indies.
1049:Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, ed. (1968).
565:. They are present in most parts of
442:Reichenow, 1902 – inland west Angola
1615:IUCN Red List least concern species
1206:The Atlas of Southern African Birds
997:A Natural History of Uncommon Birds
911:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
461:, 1817) – Gabon to northwest Angola
314:A Natural History of Uncommon Birds
1132:, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
1036:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1918.tb00791.x
557:distributed widely across much of
14:
654:. There are small populations on
486:, 1957 – north, east South Africa
1108:IOC World Bird List Version 11.2
1052:Check-List of Birds of the World
864:
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810:the seeds contain little water.
662:and it has recently appeared on
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900:BirdLife International (2018).
1:
1130:Oxford Dictionary of English
531:Democratic Republic of Congo
517:Similar species include the
1640:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
1630:Birds of the Gulf of Guinea
1625:Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa
1661:
966:Jobling, James A. (2010).
277:by the Swedish naturalist
918:: e.T22719574A131995211.
873:iSimangaliso Wetland Park
690:there are populations on
650:and is spreading through
467:Reichenow, 1902 – Namibia
316:. Linnaeus specified the
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81:Scientific classification
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544:Distribution and habitat
348:There are 15 recognised
261:family. It is native to
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1147:Boodoo, Aroura (2017).
1012:Sclater, William Lutley
859:, Canary Islands, Spain
682:and there are a few on
273:The common waxbill was
1067:Swainson, William John
1016:Mackworth-Praed, Cyril
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674:waxbills are found in
326:William Lutley Sclater
257:bird belonging to the
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714:Behaviour and ecology
624:São Tomé and Príncipe
343:William John Swainson
330:Cyril Mackworth-Praed
249:), also known as the
43:São Tomé and Príncipe
1645:Birds of East Africa
1405:Fauna Europaea (new)
1188:Animal Diversity Web
1102:, eds. (July 2021).
527:black-lored waxbills
766:and can raise four
746:are laid. They are
678:, several parts of
553:There are about 17
324:in South Africa by
298:. The etymology of
231:Linnaeus, 1758
51:Conservation status
1098:; Donsker, David;
1075:Zoological Journal
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481:E. a. tenebridorsa
455:E. a. rubriventris
366:E. a. occidentalis
275:formally described
263:sub-Saharan Africa
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1574:Open Tree of Life
1218:Taxon identifiers
1153:(Common Waxbill)"
1100:Rasmussen, Pamela
977:978-1-4081-2501-4
760:pin-tailed whydah
384:, 1903 – Ethiopia
251:St Helena waxbill
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440:E. a. angolensis
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951:
941:
929:. Retrieved
915:
909:
903:
895:
881:South Africa
857:Gran Canaria
839:
804:
801:horizontalis
797:
791:
777:
736:
727:
660:Gran Canaria
612:Saint Helena
608:
583:Sierra Leone
552:
549:Native range
535:
519:black-rumped
516:
494:
480:
470:
464:
454:
445:
439:
433:
424:
414:
405:
397:E. a. adesma
396:
387:
379:E. a. peasei
378:
365:
356:
347:
336:
313:
303:
299:
295:
286:
272:
250:
245:
244:
240:
238:
227:
226:
189:
187:
171:
170:
158:
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18:
1535:Neotropical
1496:NatureServe
1444:iNaturalist
1250:Wikispecies
1096:Gill, Frank
1081:: 343–363 .
931:13 November
806:Echinochloa
770:in a year.
756:parasitized
591:Ivory Coast
579:West Africa
511:sealing wax
491:Description
415:E. a. minor
357:E. a. kempi
148:Estrildidae
1609:Categories
1587:Xeno-canto
888:References
698:Island in
640:Seychelles
620:Cape Verde
555:subspecies
350:subspecies
291:under the
871:Flock at
799:Digitaria
748:incubated
686:. In the
670:. In the
636:Rodrigues
628:Mauritius
622:Islands,
449:Alexander
400:Reichenow
360:Bates, GL
322:Cape Town
255:passerine
166:Species:
104:Kingdom:
98:Eukaryota
1620:Estrilda
1501:2.100163
1488:22719574
1462:10970930
1358:45511023
1296:22719574
1291:BirdLife
1235:Wikidata
1069:(1827).
1018:(1918).
994:(1751).
949:(1758).
719:Breeding
706:and the
676:Trinidad
672:Americas
666:and the
664:Tenerife
648:Portugal
589:and the
475:Linnaeus
459:Vieillot
338:Estrilda
318:locality
305:Estrilda
269:Taxonomy
220:Synonyms
198:Linnaeus
159:Estrilda
144:Family:
118:Chordata
114:Phylum:
108:Animalia
94:Domain:
71:IUCN 3.1
1566:1484441
1423:2493660
1278:Avibase
1241:Q583220
1114:14 July
843:Namibia
788:protein
784:insects
758:by the
700:Vanuatu
688:Pacific
684:Bermuda
656:Madeira
632:Réunion
587:Liberia
571:Central
504:⁄
484:Clancey
419:Cabanis
409:Neumann
382:Shelley
369:Jardine
312:in his
300:astrild
285:of his
154:Genus:
134:Order:
124:Class:
69: (
1579:901156
1540:comwax
1527:187427
1475:179610
1379:EURING
1345:comwax
1319:comwax
1309:119962
974:
803:) and
768:broods
764:aviary
752:fledge
704:Tahiti
680:Brazil
668:Azores
638:, the
618:, the
563:Sahara
559:Africa
428:Sharpe
373:Fraser
371:&
1553:20306
1457:IRMNG
1449:13770
1397:97451
1384:16150
1371:15583
1366:EUNIS
1340:eBird
1332:3BKGN
1316:BOW:
1156:(PDF)
780:seeds
696:Efate
652:Spain
599:reeds
595:grass
334:genus
1561:OBIS
1522:NCBI
1483:IUCN
1470:ITIS
1436:1633
1431:GISD
1418:GBIF
1304:BOLD
1116:2021
1024:Ibis
972:ISBN
933:2021
916:2018
782:but
744:eggs
739:nest
737:The
732:MHNT
658:and
642:and
573:and
567:East
538:song
525:and
328:and
239:The
202:1758
128:Aves
1509:NBN
1353:EoL
1327:CoL
1265:ADW
1032:doi
920:doi
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