Estrilda nonnula
The Black-crowned Waxbill (Estrilda nonnula) is a charming and diminutive passerine belonging to the family Estrildidae, characterized by its striking facial pattern. Measuring approximately 9-10 cm in length and weighing just 6-9 grams, this slender finch exhibits a distinctive grey head crowned with a prominent black cap, contrasting sharply with its pure white cheeks. Its back is a warm brown, transitioning to a pinkish-rufous wash on its underparts, often with a paler belly, and is comple...
Found in a variety of open and semi-open habitats, including forest edges, clearings, grasslands, cultivated land, gardens, and shrubland, typically at low to mid-elevations up to 2,000 meters.
Primarily granivorous, feeding almost exclusively on small grass seeds, which they glean from the ground or extract directly from seeding stalks. They occasionally supplement their diet with small insects, particularly during the breeding season.
Black-crowned Waxbills are diurnal and highly social, often seen foraging in small to large flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes mixed with other waxbill species. They roost communally in dense bushes or tall grasses. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning tiny grass seeds directly fr...
The Black-crowned Waxbill is a widespread resident species across a broad band of Central Africa. Its range extends from southeastern Nigeria and Cameroon eastward through Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic. Further east, it occurs extensively across...
Least Concern
- The Black-crowned Waxbill is one of the smallest passerine birds, often weighing less than a standard letter. - Its distinctive black cap and pure white cheeks make it easily identifiable among other waxbill species. - These birds are highly gregarious outside the breeding season, often forming...