The common waxbill (Estrilda astrild), also known as the St Helena waxbill, is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa but has been introduced to many other regions of the world and now has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km 2 .

Tiny finch with short wings, a red bill, and a long tail. The body is largely gray with subtle dark bars, a prominent red mask and a dark vent. Bill is dark in juveniles. Normally encountered in noisy flocks in grassy and reedy areas; listen for distinctive descending wheezy calls.

The common waxbill (Estrilda astrild), also known as the St Helena waxbill, is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family.

Common Waxbill, grayish-brown overall, showing extensive barring and small reddish patch on the beast. (Pouhala Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Waipahu, Oahu, Hawaii; March 14, 2020.) © Eric VanderWerf

Information on the Common (St. Helena) Waxbill including: physical descriptions, pictures, compatibility, approximate price, information on breeding, disposition, singing ability, breeding season, natural habitat, favorite foods, special considerations, habits, common and scientific names, relative hardiness, and so forth.

DESCRIPTION: The Common Waxbill is a small passerine bird, part of the Finch family. The top parts are grey-brown with fine bars. The throat and cheeks are light grey. The belly is reddish. The bill conical shape indicates the bird is mainly a seedeater. There is a red horizontal bar across the eye. The legs and feet are black.

The Common Waxbill is a native of Africa S of the Sahara (Cramp and Perrins 1994a, AOU 1998), and it has been introduced to many islands in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans (Long 1981, Lever 1987, AOU 1998), and to Tahiti (successfully),

Common waxbills (Estrilda astrild) are native across much of sub-Saharan Africa. The species has been introduced to the Americas, the Mediterranean Basin, and Oceania. A high reproductive rate and ability to adapt to new food sources have allowed common waxbills to successfully naturalize in many of the areas to which it has been introduced.

2020年3月4日 · In our region, the Common Waxbill, an easily identified bird due to its red ‘bandit’ mask, is best known in Brazil, where the species certainly became established during the 19th century, perhaps as early as the 1820s, but that it did not start to spread widely until the second third of the 20th century.

2023年7月12日 · The small size, bright plumage and friendly nature of the Common Waxbill make it an attractive bird in Africa. The Common Waxbill plays an important role in the ecosystem, whether it is foraging in groups, eating seeds or performing playful courtship displays.