Bird Album
Brown Firefinch
Lagonosticta nitidula Hartlaub, 1886
11 gWeight
The brown firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) is a common species of estrildid finch found in Southern Africa.
Busiest months: October–November · Most records: Botswana, Namibia, Zambia
Where and when it's recorded
Brown Firefinch has been recorded at 55 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 5 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Mahangu Safari LodgeNamibia155 records
- Okavango Delta – Xaro LodgeBotswana143 records
- Drotsky's CabinsBotswana88 records
More places
- Caprivi Houseboat LodgeNamibia58 records
- Kasanka NPZambia48 records
- Bwabwata NP – Mahango riverside loopNamibia47 records
- Nampene IslandZambia42 records
- Okavango Delta – Shakawe River LodgeBotswana33 records
- Zambezi River near Victoria FallsZimbabwe31 records
- Cresta Mowana LodgeBotswana30 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 brown firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) is a common species of estrildid finch found in Southern Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 1,300,000 km2.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Brown Firefinch?
The Brown Firefinch weighs around 11 g.
Where does the Brown Firefinch live?
Its breeding range: Africa: central Angola, central DR Congo and southwestern Tanzania to northeastern Namibia, northern Botswana and northwestern Zimbabwe. It is most often recorded in Botswana, Namibia and Zambia.
When is the best time to see the Brown Firefinch?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Brown Firefinch endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Brown Firefinch as Least Concern.
What does the Brown Firefinch eat?
Main food: Seeds.
What family is the Brown Firefinch in?
It belongs to the family Waxbills, Munias & Allies (Estrildidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).
At a glance
- Weight
- 11 g
- Habitat
- Shrubland
- Diet
- Seeds
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 52 mm
- Tail
- 41 mm
- Bill
- 10 mm
- Tarsus
- 14 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: central Angola, central DR Congo and southwestern Tanzania to northeastern Namibia, northern Botswana and northwestern Zimbabwe
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
African FirefinchLagonosticta rubricata
Jameson's FirefinchLagonosticta rhodopareia
Mali FirefinchLagonosticta virata
Rock FirefinchLagonosticta sanguinodorsalis
Chad FirefinchLagonosticta umbrinodorsalis
Black-bellied FirefinchLagonosticta rara
Bar-breasted FirefinchLagonosticta rufopicta
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 Yolande Oelsen. ↗
Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.