Red-billed Firefinches or Senegal Firefinches
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The Red-billed Firefinch or Senegal Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala) is found in most of sub-Saharan Africa, where it occurs in open grassland and cultivation, as well as frequenting urban areas.
Within its range it is widespread and abundant. It is often seen with other bird species, such as the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu.
Description:
The Red-billed Firefinch is a small finch measuring about 10cm in length.
The adult male has entirely red plumage except for the brown wings. He has yellow eye-rings and a pink bill.
Females are brown above and buff below. They have a small red patch in front of each eye and the bill is pink.
Diet / Feeding:
The Red-billed Firefinch mostly feeds on grain and other seeds.
Nesting / Breeding:
They construct large domed grass nests with a side entrance. The nest is usually situated low in a bush, wall or thatch. The average clutch consists of 3 - 6 white eggs are laid.
Their nests are often parasitid by the Village Indigobird, which lay their own eggs in their nests for the Red-billed Finches to raise as their own..
Calls / Vocalizations
Its call is described as a soft queet-queet and its song as a rising chick-pea-pea-pea.
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