Bird
Red-billed Firefinch
Lagonosticta senegalaAlso known as Senegal Firefinch
These tiny, confiding finches frequently hop around rural villages, courtyards, and dusty paths in search of fallen seeds. Males boast rich crimson plumage across the head and underparts with a bright pink-red bill, while females are warm sandy-brown with subtle crimson rumps and facial accents. They build domed grass nests close to the ground, which are famously targeted by the brood-parasitic Village Indigobird whose chicks mimic the firefinch nestlings' distinctive mouth markings.
SongbirdGranivoreFlocking
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyGrass seeds, Termites, Millet grains
Predators
- Domestic cat
- Shikra
- Boomslang
ThreatsPesticide application in agriculture and localized trapping for the pet trade
HabitatsDry savanna, open acacia scrub, cultivated fields, and human settlements
Life span3–6 years
Classification
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyEstrildidae
- GenusLagonosticta
- SpeciesLagonosticta senegala
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Watch Watering Spots: Sit quietly near shallow puddles, garden drippers, or birdbaths in the early morning.
- Inspect Village Clearings: Look along dusty tracks and livestock pens where birds peck fearlessly for spilt grain.
Parasite (c) Wynand Uys, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Frequent Companion no rights reserved · cc0
Close Relative (c) Sunčana Bradley, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sunčana Bradley · cc-by
Image unavailableClose Relative
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