This bird’s bright red mask and breast appear to pop out of its black and white mottled background.
A small passerine bird in the estrildid finch family, the common waxbill (Estrilda astrild), is also known as the St. Helena waxbill. This small bird is 4 to 5 inches long and has delicate, noticeable grayish-brown bands on its upperparts. Their fɩаnkѕ have dark gray bands, while their underparts are a pinkish beige. A very noticeable extended red area is located in the center of the screen. The vent covers and undertail are dark gray, while the tips are black and white.
Females look like males but are slightly lighter and have a less pronounced red band on the belly.
Juveniles that have little or no red spots on their skin are also duller.
Originally native to sub-Saharan Africa, this bird has since been imported to many other regions of the world.
In dry places, with good grass and withered bushes, Common Waxbill feeds. They also enjoy visiting cities and wide meadows. It can also be found in clearings and on the edges of forests.
It should be no surprise that they enjoy seeds found on the ground in spikes of grass, given their appreciation of open grasslands. Additionally, they enjoy eating flying termites.
During the breeding season, these birds build a rather complex nest with a chicken coop on top for the male to use. the nest itself is built and covered with grass. It resembles a ball of grass and coconut fiber with a tunnel-shaped entrance when in the ground. Up to four eggs can be laid inside, and both the male and female will incubate the eggs for approximately 10 days. Both parents share responsibility for feeding the young, which eventually become fledged between 17 and 21 days.
The captive bird frequently captures and breeds common waxbills. However, the species is widespread and populations are not currently under the influence.
