The African finches belong to the Estrildidae family, which comprises around 146 species spread across approximately 34 genera. This family is known for its diversity, encompassing various species such as waxbills, firefinches, twinspots, seedcrackers, and many more. In Africa, 74 estrildid species across 25 genera display a wide range of plumage colors and patterns, making them a visual delight for birdwatchers.
These finches are small birds, measuring between 3 inches (7.5 cm) to 6.7 inches (17 cm) in length and weighing between 0.21 ounces (6 grams) to 0.9 ounces (25 grams). They primarily feed on seeds and berries, thanks to their thick, short beaks. These birds are gregarious, often seen foraging on the ground in flocks, and they inhabit a variety of environments, including grasslands, forests, woodlands, deserts, scrublands, and agricultural lands. They typically build dome-shaped nests, with many species favoring communal nesting sites. Here’s a detailed look at the 74 African finch species.
1. Genus Amadina
1.1 Cut-throat Finch (Amadina fasciata) Named for the male’s distinctive red throat band, these finches have grey-brown plumage with black barring and scaling. They are found in southern, eastern, and Sahel regions of Africa.
1.2 Red-headed Finch (Amadina erythrocephala) The male Red-headed Finch features a striking red head, greyish-brown upper parts, and white-spotted underparts with dark barring. Females have grey heads. They are native to southern Africa.
2. Genus Amandava
2.1 Orange-breasted Waxbill (Amandava subflava) These birds have yellow to orange underparts, red rumps, and olive-green upper parts with a red bill. They inhabit southern, eastern, central, and western Africa.
3. Genus Brunhilda
3.1 Black-cheeked Waxbill (Brunhilda charmosyna) This species features grey backs, heads, throats, and chests, with black face masks, red bellies, flanks, and rumps. They are found in eastern Africa.
3.2 Black-faced Waxbill (Brunhilda erythronotos) Similar to the Black-cheeked Waxbill, but with a distinctive black face and red belly and rump. They inhabit southern and eastern Africa.
4. Genus Clytospiza
4.1 Brown Twinspot (Clytospiza monteiri) These birds have dark brownish-green upper parts, red rumps, and rufous-cinnamon underparts spotted in white. Males have red throat patches, whereas females have white patches. They are found in central Africa.
5. Genus Coccopygia
5.1 Angola Waxbill (Coccopygia bocagei) Featuring olive-green backs and wings, dark grey heads, yellow bellies, and red rumps, males have black throat patches. They are found only in Angola.
5.2 Swee Waxbill (Coccopygia melanotis) These birds have grey heads, red lower backs, rumps, and upper tails, with olive-green backs and wings. Males have black face and throat patches. They are found in southern Africa.
5.3 Yellow-bellied Waxbill (Coccopygia quartinia) They have yellow bellies, olive-green backs and wings, black tails, grey heads, and red lower backs, rumps, and upper tails. Males have black facial masks. They inhabit southern and eastern Africa.
6. Genus Cryptospiza
6.1 Abyssinian Crimsonwing (Cryptospiza salvadorii) These birds have red backs and rumps, black wings and tails, olive-grey heads, and olive-grey underparts. Males have red flanks. They are found in eastern Africa.
6.2 Dusky Crimsonwing (Cryptospiza jacksoni) Dusky Crimsonwings have dark grey underparts, heads with red face masks, red backs, flanks, and rumps. They are found in the Albertine Rift of eastern Africa.
6.3 Red-faced Crimsonwing (Cryptospiza reichenovii) With red backs, rumps, flanks, and olive heads and underparts, males have red faces. They inhabit eastern and central Africa.
6.4 Shelley’s Crimsonwing (Cryptospiza shelleyi) These birds have red bills, backs, and rumps, black wings and tails, olive throats, olive-yellow underparts, and orange flanks. Males have red crowns. They are found in the Albertine Rift of eastern Africa.
7. Genus Delacourella
7.1 Grey-headed Oliveback (Delacourella capistrata) These finches have olive backs, wings, rumps, upper tails, yellow flanks, grey underparts, crowns, napes, and necks, white faces and cheeks, dark beaks, and black bibs. They are found in central and western Africa.
8. Genus Estrilda
8.1 Anambra Waxbill (Estrilda poliopareia) They have finely barred, dull buffy underparts, darker olive upper parts, pale greyish heads, reddish-brown rumps and beaks, and pale eyes. They are found only in southern Nigeria and Benin.
8.2 Black-crowned Waxbill (Estrilda nonnula) With whitish heads and throats, black crowns, foreheads, rears of the eyes, lightly barred grey upperparts, dark wings, whitish underparts, and red washes from the flanks to the rumps. They inhabit central and eastern Africa.
8.3 Black-headed Waxbill (Estrilda atricapilla) These birds have black crowns, foreheads, lores, rears of the eyes, whitish heads and throats, grey upper parts with fine barring, dark wings, whitish chests, red washes on the belly, flanks, and rumps, and black vents. They are found in central Africa.
8.4 Black-lored Waxbill (Estrilda nigriloris) They are grey-brown overall with thick barring, pinkish washes, red beaks, and black lines from the lores to behind the eyes. They are found in southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
8.5 Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) These birds have plain brownish-grey backs, white under tails, finely barred greyish-brown underparts, black rumps, red eye stripes, and red bills. They inhabit central and western Africa.
8.6 Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild) Common Waxbills have brownish-grey bodies with dark bars, dark vents, red patches on the bellies, red bills, and red face masks. They occur throughout most of southern, central, eastern, and parts of western Africa.
8.7 Crimson-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda rhodopyga) These birds have finely barred grey-brown upper parts, paler grey-buffy undersides, red patches on the wings and upper tails, red eye stripes, red rumps, and whitish cheeks and throats. They are found in eastern Africa.
8.8 Fawn-breasted Waxbill (Estrilda paludicola) They have olive-brown upper sides, whitish or yellow undersides, grey to olive heads with large variations, red bills, red rumps, and black tails. They inhabit central Africa.
8.9 Kandt’s Waxbill (Estrilda kandti) Kandt’s Waxbills have subtly barred brown upper sides, red rumps, black tails, red flanks, black crowns and face masks, white cheeks, white napes, throats, and chests, and dark bellies. They are found in eastern and central Africa.
8.10 Orange-cheeked Waxbill (Estrilda melpoda) These birds have brown backs, red rumps, grey heads, greyish underparts, black tails, orange faces, and red beaks. They inhabit western and central Africa.
9. Genus Euodice
9.1 African Silverbill (Euodice cantans) These finches have silver-grey beaks, brown upper sides, dark barred wings, dark rumps and tails, creamy undersides, and pale creamy faces. They are found in western, central, and eastern Africa.
10. Genus Euschistospiza
10.1 Dusky Twinspot (Euschistospiza cinereovinacea) Dusky Twinspots are dark overall with red rumps and white spots on the dark bellies and red flanks. They are found in the Albertine Rift and Angola.
10.2 Dybowski’s Twinspot (Euschistospiza dybowskii) These birds have grey heads, red mantles, backs, and rumps, brown wings, and white spots on the bellies. They inhabit central and western Africa.
11. Genus Glaucestrilda
11.1 Cinderella Waxbill (Glaucestrilda thomensis) Cinderella Waxbills are light grey overall with bright red rumps, bellies, and flanks, dark pink bills, black eye stripes, and black tails. They inhabit Namibia and Angola.
11.2 Grey Waxbill (Glaucestrilda perreini) These birds are primarily grey with red rumps, black tails, dark bills, and dark lines through the eyes. They are found in central, eastern, and southern Africa.
11.3 Lavender Waxbill (Glaucestrilda caerulescens) Lavender Waxbills are plain silvery-grey overall with red rumps and tails. The bills are purplish, and dark eye stripes are present. They inhabit western Africa.
12. Genus Granatina
12.1 Purple Grenadier (Granatina ianthinogaster) Males have rufous heads, throats, necks, and chests, dark brown backs and wings, purple bellies, purple-blue areas around the eyes, red bills, and blue tails. Females have cinnamon-brown heads and chests, white barring on the undersides, and brown backs and wings. They are found in eastern Africa.
12.2 Violet-eared Waxbill (Granatina granatina) Males have warm chestnut-brown bodies, olive-brown wings, bright blue rumps and foreheads, black tails, red eyes and bills, purple cheeks, black throats, and chestnut bellies. Females are paler with buffy throats and underparts. They occur in southern and south-central Africa.
13. Genus Hypargos
13.1 Pink-throated Twinspot (Hypargos margaritatus) Males have pink heads, throats, rumps, and upper tails, black bellies with white spots, and brown backs and crowns. Females have greyish-brown heads and throats, grey undersides, and black flanks with white spots. They inhabit South Africa, Mozambique, and Eswatini.
13.2 Red-throated Twinspot (Hypargos niveoguttatus) Males have bright red heads with grey crowns, red throats and chests, black bellies with white spots, brown backs, and red rumps and upper tails. Females have brownish heads and orange chests. They are found in eastern and central Africa.
14. Genus Lagonosticta
14.1 African Firefinch (Lagonosticta rubricata) Males have grey crowns, napes, and necks, olive-brown backs and wings, red rumps and upper tails, and bright red underparts with a few white spots on the flanks. Females are duller. They are found in southern, central, eastern, and western Africa.
14.2 Bar-breasted Firefinch (Lagonosticta rufopicta) These finches have brown backs and wings, red heads, grey-brown crowns, red bills, red or white-spotted or barred chests, and buffy-grey bellies. They occur in western and central Africa.
14.3 Black-bellied Firefinch (Lagonosticta rara) Males have red heads, throats, backs, chests, rumps, and upper tails, dark bills with pinkish bases, black bellies, and brown wings. Females have grey heads, pinkish chests and throats, and brown backs. They are found in western and central Africa.
14.4 Black-faced Firefinch (Lagonosticta larvata) Males have black faces, yellow eye-rings, red rumps and napes, dark bills, dark vents, dark brown backs, and variably colored underparts from pale grey to pink and rosy red. Females have grey-brown bodies and heads, red washes on the undersides, and pale undertails. They occur in central and western Africa.
14.5 Brown Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) These finches have dark brown bodies and heads, reddish faces and throats, red bills, and white spotting on the chests. Females have less red on the faces and throats. They inhabit central Africa.
14.6 Chad Firefinch (Lagonosticta umbrinodorsalis) Males have brown backs, dark wings, grey heads with red face masks, red throats and rumps, blue-grey bills, black under tails, and pinkish-red underparts with white spots on the rumps. Females are more brown and dull. They are found in northern Cameroon and western Chad.
14.7 Jameson’s Firefinch (Lagonosticta rhodopareia) These finches have pink heads and underparts, blue-black bills, brown backs, dark wings, bluish legs, white spots on the flanks, red rumps, and black tails. Females have buffy undersides. They are found in southern, central, and eastern Africa.
14.8 Mali Firefinch (Lagonosticta virata) Mali Firefinches have blue-grey bills, brown backs and wings, grey crowns, napes and necks, red faces, rumps, upper tails, and underparts, and black under tails. White spots are sometimes present on the flanks. They occur in Mali and Senegal.
14.9 Red-billed Firefinch (Lagonosticta senegala) Males have brown backs, wings, and under tails, red heads, necks, and rumps, pink beaks, yellow eye-rings, and red underparts. Females have buff underparts and brown upper parts. They are found in southern, central, eastern, and western Africa.
14.10 Rock Firefinch (Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis) Males have red backs, faces, throats, rumps, and undersides. Females have reddish-brown backs, greyish-red underparts, and greyish-brown faces. Both sexes have bluish-grey beaks, black under tails, yellow eye-rings, and brown wings. White speckling is sometimes seen on the flanks. They are found in central Nigeria and northern Cameroon.
15. Genus Mandingoa
15.1 Green Twinspot (Mandingoa nitidula) Green Twinspots have olive-green upper parts, olive-green chests and tails, dark bills, red face masks, and black bellies with prominent white spots. Females have yellowish faces. They are found in southern, eastern, central, and western Africa.
16. Genus Nesocharis
16.1 Shelley’s Oliveback (Nesocharis shelleyi) Shelley’s Olivebacks have black heads, bluish bills, yellow-green backs, wings, and rumps, and grey napes and underparts. Males have additional yellow-green chests. They are found in southwest Nigeria, western Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea.
16.2 White-collared Oliveback (Nesocharis ansorgei) White-collared Olivebacks have olive-green backs, wings, and rumps, black heads, bluish bills, and grey napes and underparts. Males have white collars on the napes and olive-green chests. They are found in central Africa.
17. Genus Nigrita
17.1 Chestnut-breasted Nigrita (Nigrita bicolor) Chestnut-breasted Nigritas have dark grey crowns and upper parts, black beaks, and dark brownish-red underparts and faces. Females have paler underparts. They inhabit western and central Africa.
17.2 Grey-headed Nigrita (Nigrita canicapillus) Grey-headed Nigritas have completely black underparts extending to the heads above the eyes and foreheads. Upper parts are primarily dark grey, wings are dark with white spotting, and a white line is on the heads. Eyes are red, and bills are dark. They are found in western, central, and eastern Africa.
17.3 Pale-fronted Nigrita (Nigrita luteifrons) Males have black underparts, grey upper parts, dark grey wings, pale grey rumps, pale whitish-grey crowns and foreheads, dark bills, and black faces and throats. Females have grey underparts and upper parts, dark grey wings, dark face masks, dark bills, and whitish foreheads. They are found in western and central Africa.
17.4 White-breasted Nigrita (Nigrita fusconotus) White-breasted Nigritas have pale, whitish underparts, black upper heads, brown backs and wings, dark bills, and dark rumps and upper tails. They are found in western and central Africa.
18. Genus Ortygospiza
18.1 Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) Males have brown-grey backs, dark brown and white barring on the chests and flanks, red beaks, white tail edges, and buffy-orange bellies. Head patterns vary. Females have two-toned black and red bills and are dull brown overall. They are found in southern, central, eastern, and western Africa.
19. Genus Paludipasser
19.1 Locust Finch (Paludipasser locustella) Locust Finches have dark grey upper parts with white spots, orange rumps and wings, orange-red heads and bills, yellow eyes, orange-red chests, and grey bellies. Females are similar to males but have pale underparts with strong barring. They are found in central and eastern Africa.
20. Genus Parmoptila
20.1 Jameson’s Antpecker (Parmoptila jamesoni) Males have brown upper parts, chestnut faces and underparts, and red foreheads. Females have pale brown upper parts, tawny-brown faces and cheeks, and buffy underparts with dark chevrons. They are found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Tanzania.
20.2 Red-fronted Antpecker (Parmoptila rubrifrons) Males have brown upper parts, red foreheads, white scales on the faces, and chestnut undersides. Females have brown upper parts, white speckled heads, and pale underparts with dark chevrons. They are found in western Africa.
20.3 Woodhouse’s Antpecker (Parmoptila woodhousei) Woodhouse’s Antpeckers have pale undersides with dark speckles and barring, reddish-chestnut heads and throats, and brown crowns, backs, tails, and wings. Females have rufous throats. They inhabit western-central Africa.
21. Genus Pyrenestes
21.1 Black-bellied Seedcracker (Pyrenestes ostrinus) These finches have red heads, napes, necks, throats, chests, rumps, flanks, and tails, black bellies, wings, and backs, white crescents around the eyes, and large dark bills. Females have duller brown patches. They are found in central and western Africa.
21.2 Crimson Seedcracker (Pyrenestes sanguineus) Males have dark brown backs and bellies, bright red heads, necks, napes, throats, chests, flanks, rumps, and tails, large dark bills, and white crescents around the eyes. Females are duller. They occur in western Africa.
21.3 Lesser Seedcracker (Pyrenestes minor) Lesser Seedcrackers have red heads, throats, rumps, and tails, brown napes, necks, backs, wings, and underparts, and dark bills. Females have less red. They are found in eastern Africa.
22. Genus Pytilia
22.1 Green-winged Pytilia (Pytilia melba) Green-winged Pytilias have olive-green backs, wings, and chests, red bills, tails, and rumps, grey heads, necks, and napes, and orangy-red foreheads and throats. Females have pale chests with barring and plain grey heads. They are found in southern, central, eastern, and western Africa.
22.2 Orange-winged Pytilia (Pytilia afra) These finches have olive-green napes, backs, and wings, red faces, throats, and foreheads, red bills, tails, and rumps, grey crowns and necks, mottled olive-green undersides, and golden-edged wings. Females are similar but paler. They occur in southern, central, and eastern Africa.
22.3 Red-billed Pytilia (Pytilia lineata) Red-billed Pytilias are grey overall with red bills, rumps, tails, and wings, and finely barred white undersides. Females are duller. They are found in Ethiopia.
22.4 Red-winged Pytilia (Pytilia phoenicoptera) These finches have grey backs, heads, and chests, red wings, rumps, and tails, grey finely barred undersides, and dark bills. Females are paler. They are found in western and central Africa.
22.5 Yellow-winged Pytilia (Pytilia hypogrammica) Yellow-winged Pytilias have brownish-grey backs, necks, and napes, red faces and throats, yellow wings, and red rumps and tails. The undersides are finely barred white and buff. Females have completely grey heads. They inhabit central and western Africa.
23. Genus Spermestes
23.1 Grey-headed Silverbill (Spermestes griseicapilla) Grey-headed Silverbills have brown backs, grey heads with white spots on the faces, dark brown and black wings, black tails, and white rumps. Undersides are buff and white. They are found in eastern Africa.
23.2 Black-and-white Mannikin (Spermestes bicolor) These finches have black heads, throats, and chests, pale bills, white undersides, and black and white barring on the wings, flanks, and tails. They inhabit southern, central, eastern, and western Africa.
23.3 Bronze Mannikin (Spermestes cucullata) Bronze Mannikins have black, glossy heads, throats, and chests, brown backs and wings, dark barring on the whitish vents, flanks and rumps, black tails, white undersides, and blue-grey and black bills. They occur in southern, central, eastern, and western Africa.
23.4 Magpie Mannikin (Spermestes fringilloides) Magpie Mannikins have brown backs and wings, black heads and throats, black scalloping on the flanks, white undersides, and black tails. They are found in southern, central, eastern, and western Africa.
24. Genus Spermophaga
24.1 Grant’s Bluebill (Spermophaga poliogenys) Males have black upper parts and bellies, red rumps, flanks, chests, throats, faces, and foreheads, and blue and red bills. Females have white spots on dark undersides, orangy chests and rumps, and dark heads and upper parts. They are found in central Africa.
24.2 Red-headed Bluebill (Spermophaga ruficapilla) Red-headed Bluebills have blue bills, white crescents around the eyes, red heads, napes, necks, throats, flanks, rumps, and chests, black upper parts, and black heads. Females have white spots on black bellies. They inhabit central and eastern Africa.
24.3 Western Bluebill (Spermophaga haematina) Western Bluebills have bright red underparts, red rumps, blue bills, black upper parts, and black heads. Males have bluish-white eye-rings and black bellies, while females have white spots on black bellies and red faces. They are found in western and central Africa.
25. Genus Uraeginthus
25.1 Blue Waxbill (Uraeginthus angolensis) Males have pale brown upper parts, light blue faces, throats, chests, flanks, rumps, and tails, pale brown bellies, and blue-grey beaks. Females are paler. They are found in southern, central, and eastern Africa.
25.2 Blue-capped Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus cyanocephalus) These finches have pale brown upper parts, light blue tails, throats, chests, and flanks, pale brown bellies, pink beaks, and pale eye-rings. Males have blue heads. Females have blue faces and brown crowns, necks, and napes. They inhabit eastern Africa.
25.3 Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) Red-cheeked Cordon-bleus have light blue faces, throats, chests, flanks, rumps, and tails, brown bellies and upper parts, red patches on the cheeks, and greyish beaks. Females are much duller with no red cheeks. They are found in central, eastern, and western Africa.
Conclusion
The finches of Africa are incredibly diverse, showcasing a myriad of colors and patterns that make them stand out in their environments. They inhabit a wide range of habitats across sub-Saharan Africa, from the far west to the south. While some species have extensive distributions, others are range-restricted and less studied. These beautiful birds contribute significantly to the continent’s biodiversity, providing endless fascination for bird enthusiasts and researchers alike.