Bird Album
African Firefinch
Lagonosticta rubricata (Lichtenstein, MHC, 1823)
10–11 cmLength10 gWeight
The African firefinch (Lagonosticta rubricata), also called the blue-billed firefinch, is a common species of estrildid finch found in many parts of Africa.
Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Uganda, Kenya
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Uganda, Kenya
African Firefinch has been recorded at 280 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 23 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Nairobi NPKenya260 records
- Aga Khan University – Loilenok Hills and FieldsTanzania140 records
- Lake Nakuru NPKenya98 records
More places
- Lake Mburo NPUganda93 records
- Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa87 records
- Mkhuze GRSouth Africa85 records
- Katiyo Tea EstateZimbabwe81 records
- Aberfoyle LodgeZimbabwe77 records
- Atewa – farm scrub and degraded forestGhana74 records
- Queen Elizabeth II NPUganda72 records
Countries and regions with the most records
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 African firefinch (Lagonosticta rubricata), also called the blue-billed firefinch, is a common species of estrildid finch found in many parts of Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 5,400,000 km2 (2,100,000 mi2).
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the African Firefinch?
The African Firefinch is about 10–11 cm long and weighs around 10 g.
Where does the African Firefinch live?
Its breeding range: Africa: western, central, southeastern, southern. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Uganda and Kenya.
When is the best time to see the African Firefinch?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the African Firefinch endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the African Firefinch as Least Concern.
What does the African Firefinch eat?
Main food: Seeds.
What family is the African Firefinch in?
It belongs to the family Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Length
- 10–11 cm
- Weight
- 10 g
- Habitat
- Woodland
- Diet
- Seeds
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 48 mm
- Tail
- 44 mm
- Bill
- 10 mm
- Tarsus
- 14 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: western, central, southeastern, southern
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Passerines Passeriformes
- Family
- Waxbills, Munias & Allies Estrildidae
- Genus
- Lagonosticta
Other birds in the genus Lagonosticta
Red-billed FirefinchLagonosticta senegala
Jameson's FirefinchLagonosticta rhodopareia
Mali FirefinchLagonosticta virata
Rock FirefinchLagonosticta sanguinodorsalis
Chad FirefinchLagonosticta umbrinodorsalis
Black-bellied FirefinchLagonosticta rara
Bar-breasted FirefinchLagonosticta rufopicta
Brown FirefinchLagonosticta nitidula
Black-faced FirefinchLagonosticta larvata
Pictorella MannikinHeteromunia pectoralis
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Martin Heigan. ↗
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