The common waxbill (Estrilda astrild), also known as the St Helena waxbill, is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa but has been introduced to many other regions of the world and now has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km2. It is popular and easy to keep in captivity.
The common waxbill was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial nameLoxia astrild.[2] The etymology of astrild is uncertain. It may either be from a German or Dutch avicultural term for a waxbill or alternatively it may be a misprint for Estrilda.[3] Linnaeus based his description on the "Wax Bill" that had been described and illustrated in 1751 by the English naturalist George Edwards in his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds.[4] Linnaeus specified the locality as "Canaries, America, Africa" but this was restricted to Cape Town in South Africa by William Lutley Sclater and Cyril Mackworth-Praed in 1918.[5][6] This species is now placed in the genusEstrilda that was introduced in 1827 by the English naturalist William John Swainson.[7][8]
E. a. adesmaReichenow, 1916 – east DR Congo, Uganda, west Kenya to northwest Tanzania
E. a. massaicaNeumann, 1907 – central Kenya to north Tanzania
E. a. minor (Cabanis, 1878) – south Somalia, east Kenya, northeast Tanzania and Zanzibar
E. a. cavendishiSharpe, 1900 – south DR Congo and south Tanzania to Zimbabwe and Mozambique
E. a. niediecki Reichenow, 1916 – central Angola to west Zimbabwe
E. a. angolensis Reichenow, 1902 – inland west Angola
E. a. jagoensisAlexander, 1898 – coastal west Angola and São Tomé
E. a. rubriventris (Vieillot, 1817) – Gabon to northwest Angola
E. a. damarensis Reichenow, 1902 – Namibia
E. a. astrild (Linnaeus, 1758) – south Botswana and west, south South Africa
E. a. tenebridorsaClancey, 1957 – north, east South Africa
Descriptionedit
It is a small bird, 4 to 5 inches in length with a wingspan of 4+1⁄2 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 sealing wax giving the bird its name.[9] 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 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.
Similar species include the black-rumped, crimson-rumped and black-lored waxbills. 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 Democratic Republic of Congo) has a black rather than red stripe through the eye.
The common waxbill has a variety of twittering and buzzing calls and a distinctive high-pitched flight-call. The simple song is harsh and nasal and descends on the last note.
Distribution and habitatedit
Native rangeedit
There are about 17 subspecies distributed widely across much of Africa south of the Sahara. They are present in most parts of East, Central and Southern Africa except for regions of desert or dense forest. In West Africa they are more local with the main population centred on Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Ivory Coast. Common waxbills inhabit open country with long grass and rank vegetation. They are often found near water in marshes and among reeds. They can be tame and will enter gardens, parks and farmland.
Introduced rangeedit
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: Saint Helena, Ascension Island, the Cape Verde Islands, São Tomé and Príncipe, Mauritius, Réunion, Rodrigues, the Seychelles and Ile Amsterdam. They may possibly be native on some of these islands. In Europe the common waxbill has become widespread in Portugal and is spreading through Spain. There are small populations on Madeira and Gran Canaria and it has recently appeared on Tenerife and the Azores. In the Americas waxbills are found in Trinidad, several parts of Brazil and there are a few on Bermuda. In the Pacific there are populations on New Caledonia, Efate Island in Vanuatu, Tahiti and the Hawaiian Islands. 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.
The nest 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 eggs are laid. They are incubated for 11 to 13 days and the young birds fledge 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 parasitized by the pin-tailed whydah which lays its eggs in the nests of estrildid finches. In captivity they will breed in an aviary and can raise four broods in a year.
Food and feedingedit
The diet consists mainly of grass and millet[10][11]seeds but insects are also eaten on occasions, especially during the breeding season when more protein is needed. Of these seeds, guinea grasses (Panicum maximum) are perhaps the most important dietary components for waxbills as they have seed heads available year-round.[10][11] Other important sources include crabgrass (Digitaria horizontalis) and Echinochloa species.[10][11] 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 the seeds contain little water.
Picture galleryedit
Ascension Island
E. a. damarensis Namibia
feral adult on Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
^BirdLife International (2018). "Estrilda astrild". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22719574A131995211. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22719574A131995211.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. pp. 173–174.
^Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 57. ISBN978-1-4081-2501-4.
^Edwards, George (1751). A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Vol. Part IV. London: Printed for the author at the College of Physicians. p. 179, Plate 179.
^Sclater, William Lutley; Mackworth-Praed, Cyril (1918). "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". Ibis. 10th series. 6: 416–476 [442. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919X.1918.tb00791.x.
^Paynter, Raymond A. Jr, ed. (1968). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 14. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 345.
^Swainson, William John (1827). "On several groups and forms in ornithology, not hitherto defined". Zoological Journal. 3: 343–363 [349–350].
^ abGill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2021). "Waxbills, parrotfinches, munias, whydahs, Olive Warbler, accentors, pipits". IOC World Bird List Version 11.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
^Soanes, Catherine & Stevenson, Angus (eds.) (2005) Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
^ abcBoodoo, Aroura (2017). "Estrilda astrild (Common Waxbill)" (PDF). The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago. The University of the West Indies.
^ abcTarr, Lauren. "Estrilda astrild common waxbill". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Estrilda astrild.
Wikispecies has information related to Estrilda astrild.
Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds
April 11, 2024
common, waxbill, common, waxbill, estrilda, astrild, also, known, helena, waxbill, small, passerine, bird, belonging, estrildid, finch, family, native, saharan, africa, been, introduced, many, other, regions, world, estimated, global, extent, occurrence, popul. The common waxbill Estrilda astrild also known as the St Helena waxbill is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family It is native to sub Saharan Africa but has been introduced to many other regions of the world and now has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10 000 000 km2 It is popular and easy to keep in captivity Common waxbillE a jagoensisSao Tome and PrincipeConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily EstrildidaeGenus EstrildaSpecies E astrildBinomial nameEstrilda astrild Linnaeus 1758 SynonymsLoxia astrild Linnaeus 1758 Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 3 1 Native range 3 2 Introduced range 4 Behaviour and ecology 4 1 Breeding 4 2 Food and feeding 5 Picture gallery 6 References 7 External linksTaxonomy editThe common waxbill was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Loxia astrild 2 The etymology of astrild is uncertain It may either be from a German or Dutch avicultural term for a waxbill or alternatively it may be a misprint for Estrilda 3 Linnaeus based his description on the Wax Bill that had been described and illustrated in 1751 by the English naturalist George Edwards in his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds 4 Linnaeus specified the locality as Canaries America Africa but this was restricted to Cape Town in South Africa by William Lutley Sclater and Cyril Mackworth Praed in 1918 5 6 This species is now placed in the genus Estrilda that was introduced in 1827 by the English naturalist William John Swainson 7 8 There are 15 recognised subspecies 8 E a kempi Bates GL 1930 Guinea Sierra Leone and Liberia E a occidentalis Jardine amp Fraser 1852 south Mali and Ivory Coast to north DR Congo and Bioko Island E a peasei Shelley 1903 Ethiopia E a macmillani Ogilvie Grant 1907 Sudan E a adesma Reichenow 1916 east DR Congo Uganda west Kenya to northwest Tanzania E a massaica Neumann 1907 central Kenya to north Tanzania E a minor Cabanis 1878 south Somalia east Kenya northeast Tanzania and Zanzibar E a cavendishi Sharpe 1900 south DR Congo and south Tanzania to Zimbabwe and Mozambique E a niediecki Reichenow 1916 central Angola to west Zimbabwe E a angolensis Reichenow 1902 inland west Angola E a jagoensis Alexander 1898 coastal west Angola and Sao Tome E a rubriventris Vieillot 1817 Gabon to northwest Angola E a damarensis Reichenow 1902 Namibia E a astrild Linnaeus 1758 south Botswana and west south South Africa E a tenebridorsa Clancey 1957 north east South AfricaDescription editIt is a small bird 4 to 5 inches in length with a wingspan of 4 1 2 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 sealing wax giving the bird its name 9 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 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 Similar species include the black rumped crimson rumped and black lored waxbills 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 Democratic Republic of Congo has a black rather than red stripe through the eye The common waxbill has a variety of twittering and buzzing calls and a distinctive high pitched flight call The simple song is harsh and nasal and descends on the last note Distribution and habitat editNative range edit There are about 17 subspecies distributed widely across much of Africa south of the Sahara They are present in most parts of East Central and Southern Africa except for regions of desert or dense forest In West Africa they are more local with the main population centred on Sierra Leone Liberia and the Ivory Coast Common waxbills inhabit open country with long grass and rank vegetation They are often found near water in marshes and among reeds They can be tame and will enter gardens parks and farmland Introduced range edit 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 Saint Helena Ascension Island the Cape Verde Islands Sao Tome and Principe Mauritius Reunion Rodrigues the Seychelles and Ile Amsterdam They may possibly be native on some of these islands In Europe the common waxbill has become widespread in Portugal and is spreading through Spain There are small populations on Madeira and Gran Canaria and it has recently appeared on Tenerife and the Azores In the Americas waxbills are found in Trinidad several parts of Brazil and there are a few on Bermuda In the Pacific there are populations on New Caledonia Efate Island in Vanuatu Tahiti and the Hawaiian Islands 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 Behaviour and ecology editBreeding edit nbsp Estrilda astrild MHNTThe nest 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 eggs are laid They are incubated for 11 to 13 days and the young birds fledge 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 parasitized by the pin tailed whydah which lays its eggs in the nests of estrildid finches In captivity they will breed in an aviary and can raise four broods in a year Food and feeding edit The diet consists mainly of grass and millet 10 11 seeds but insects are also eaten on occasions especially during the breeding season when more protein is needed Of these seeds guinea grasses Panicum maximum are perhaps the most important dietary components for waxbills as they have seed heads available year round 10 11 Other important sources include crabgrass Digitaria horizontalis and Echinochloa species 10 11 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 the seeds contain little water Picture gallery edit nbsp Ascension Island nbsp E a damarensis Namibia nbsp feral adult on Gran Canaria Canary Islands Spain nbsp Flock at iSimangaliso Wetland Park KwaZulu Natal South AfricaReferences edit BirdLife International 2018 Estrilda astrild IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T22719574A131995211 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 2 RLTS T22719574A131995211 en Retrieved 13 November 2021 Linnaeus Carl 1758 Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae secundum classes ordines genera species cum characteribus differentiis synonymis locis in Latin Vol 1 10th ed Holmiae Stockholm Laurentii Salvii pp 173 174 Jobling James A 2010 The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names London Christopher Helm p 57 ISBN 978 1 4081 2501 4 Edwards George 1751 A Natural History of Uncommon Birds Vol Part IV London Printed for the author at the College of Physicians p 179 Plate 179 Sclater William Lutley Mackworth Praed Cyril 1918 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 Ibis 10th series 6 416 476 442 doi 10 1111 j 1474 919X 1918 tb00791 x Paynter Raymond A Jr ed 1968 Check List of Birds of the World Vol 14 Cambridge Massachusetts Museum of Comparative Zoology p 345 Swainson William John 1827 On several groups and forms in ornithology not hitherto defined Zoological Journal 3 343 363 349 350 a b Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds July 2021 Waxbills parrotfinches munias whydahs Olive Warbler accentors pipits IOC World Bird List Version 11 2 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 14 July 2021 Soanes Catherine amp Stevenson Angus eds 2005 Oxford Dictionary of English Oxford University Press Oxford a b c Boodoo Aroura 2017 Estrilda astrild Common Waxbill PDF The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago The University of the West Indies a b c Tarr Lauren Estrilda astrild common waxbill Animal Diversity Web University of Michigan Museum of Zoology External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Estrilda astrild nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Estrilda astrild Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Common waxbill amp oldid 1194233026, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
