Abyssinian Crimsonwing (Cryptospiza salvadorii)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Abyssinian Crimsonwing

Cryptospiza salvadorii Reichenow, 1892

10–11 cmLength12 gWeight

The Abyssinian crimsonwing (Cryptospiza salvadorii), also known as the Ethiopian crimsonwing, Salvadori's crimsonwing or crimson-backed forest finch, is a common species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Abyssinian Crimsonwing has been recorded at 21 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Mt Kenya NP – Castle Forest and LodgeKenya154 records
  2. Gatamaiyu ForestKenya69 records
  3. Arusha NPTanzania36 records
More places
  1. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania17 records
  2. Aberdare NPKenya16 records
  3. Gibbs FarmTanzania11 records
  4. Naro Moru River LodgeKenya7 records
  5. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro Serena Safari LodgeTanzania6 records
  6. Lake DulutiTanzania6 records
  7. Nyungwe NP – Gisakura, Ndambarare TrailRwanda5 records

Countries and regions with the most records

KenyaTanzaniaUgandaRwandaEthiopiaBurundi

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Abyssinian crimsonwing (Cryptospiza salvadorii), also known as the Ethiopian crimsonwing, Salvadori's crimsonwing or crimson-backed forest finch, is a common species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 190,000 km2 (73,000 mi2).

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Abyssinian Crimsonwing?

The Abyssinian Crimsonwing is about 10–11 cm long and weighs around 12 g.

Where does the Abyssinian Crimsonwing live?

Its breeding range: Africa: east-central, eastern. It is most often recorded in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the Abyssinian Crimsonwing?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Abyssinian Crimsonwing endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Abyssinian Crimsonwing as Least Concern.

What does the Abyssinian Crimsonwing eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Abyssinian Crimsonwing in?

It belongs to the family Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
10–11 cm
Weight
12 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Seeds
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
56 mm
Tail
42 mm
Bill
11 mm
Tarsus
17 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: east-central, eastern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Waxbills, Munias & Allies Estrildidae
Genus
Cryptospiza

Other birds in the genus Cryptospiza

Shelley's CrimsonwingShelley's CrimsonwingCryptospiza shelleyiDusky CrimsonwingDusky CrimsonwingCryptospiza jacksoniRed-faced CrimsonwingRed-faced CrimsonwingCryptospiza reichenoviiPictorella MannikinPictorella MannikinHeteromunia pectoralisMountain FiretailMountain FiretailOreostruthus fuliginosusDiamond FiretailDiamond FiretailStagonopleura guttataRed-eared FiretailRed-eared FiretailStagonopleura oculataBeautiful FiretailBeautiful FiretailStagonopleura bellaCrimson FinchCrimson FinchNeochmia phaetonRed-browed FinchRed-browed FinchNeochmia temporalis
Abyssinian Crimsonwing

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Christian Artuso. ↗

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