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Black-faced Waxbill | Estrilda erythronotos
The Black-faced Waxbill is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Estrildidae bird family group which includes birds such as Waxbills, Firefinches, Twinspots. The description for the Black-faced Waxbill (Latin name Estrilda erythronotos) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Estrilda erythronotos can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 847 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 1047. You will find a picture of the Black-faced Waxbill on page 1057. NOTE: The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition*. This edition contained a number of taxonomic changes as well as changes to English names used traditionally and in earlier editions of most bird books in South Africa. The following paragraph notes such changes if any. This bird is known as Black-cheeked Waxbill in the Roberts 6th Edition. The Black-faced Waxbill is known in Afrikaans as Swartwangsysie. The Black-faced Waxbill has a height of 13 cms and weighs around 9 gms. The head is coloured grey, brown while the bill is coloured black. The Estrilda erythronotos has a pink coloured throat, black legs and a brown coloured back. The eyes are crimson. The male Estrilda erythronotos has physical features that are slightly different from the female bird. Take note of the main distinguishing features such as colour, size and leg length relative to the body size. Colours of body parts can be helpful. Be aware what may appear brown to one person is described in Roberts using some other word ... for example brown, black. See colours used in Roberts. Head is grey, brown Eyes are crimson Bill is black Legs are black Throat is pink Back is brown Feeding Habits ...This bird forages for food on the ground The Estrilda erythronotos attacks its prey aerially and feeds on wing or takes the prey to a secluded venue where it is killed, torn into small pieces and eaten This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten . Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...The Black-faced Waxbill is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 2 to 4 eggs and they are coloured white. The nest is built high up in the tree canopy and is protected from predators by branches and the dense green foligae. The Black-faced Waxbill is mainly found in light and densely wooded forests, where there are Mopane trees. The bird is found in the African bushveld This bird is very common in most of the Southern African Forests Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ... |
