Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Estrilda melpoda
橙颊梅花雀
Introduction
The orange-cheeked waxbill is a species of estrildid finch native to western and central Africa, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 3,600,000 km². It inhabits open grassland with light tree and shrub coverage, watercourses, gardens, cultivated fields, dry savannah, and subtropical/tropical wet shrubland areas. This species is highly acrobatic, climbing up and down vertical grass stems and hanging upside down while feeding. The IUCN classifies it as a species of least concern. It has been introduced to Puerto Rico, Saipan, Singapore, and Southern California.
Description
This small estrildid finch has distinctive orange facial patches. Males typically display brighter orange patches on the abdomen compared to females. Juveniles resemble adults but have duller orange ear coverts for the first few months.
Identification
The orange-cheeked waxbill can be identified by its high-pitched peeps, which often reveal its presence. Its acrobatic behavior of climbing and hanging upside down on grass stems is distinctive. Males can be distinguished by their brighter orange abdominal patches.
Distribution & Habitat
Native to the Guineo-Congolian region and more northern Sub-Saharan areas of western and central Africa. It occupies open grassland habitats with scattered trees and shrubs, along with watercourses, gardens, and cultivated fields. It also inhabits dry savannah and subtropical/tropical lowland wet shrubland. The species has been introduced to Puerto Rico, Saipan, Singapore, and Southern California.
Behavior & Ecology
This species lives in small family parties or flocks of thirty or more individuals. It feeds primarily on tiny grass seeds collected from the ground or directly from grass panicles, often while hanging upside down. During breeding season, it consumes small insects including termites, aphids, and gnats. Nests are built close to or directly on the ground in tangled clumps of tall grass, using surrounding grass stems and seed heads for camouflage. Three to six tiny white eggs are incubated for 13 days, with fledglings leaving the nest after approximately 23 days.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List classifies this species as being of least concern.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Genus
- Estrilda
- eBird Code
- orcwax
Distribution
Senegambia to Democratic Republic of the Congo, northern Angola, and northern Zambia
Vocalizations
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.