Locust Finch (Paludipasser locustella)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Locust Finch

Paludipasser locustella Neave, 1909

9–10 cmLength11 gWeight

The locust finch or locustfinch (Paludipasser locustella) is a species of waxbill found in south-central and south-eastern Africa.

Busiest months: December · Most records: Zambia, Mozambique, Congo - Brazzaville

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: December · Most records: Zambia, Mozambique, Congo - Brazzaville

Locust Finch has been recorded at 10 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Rio Savanne WetlandsMozambique38 records
  2. Mutinondo WildernessZambia33 records
  3. Kafue NP – Busanga PlainsZambia21 records
More places
  1. Kasanka NPZambia4 records
  2. Odzala NP – Mboko CampCongo - Brazzaville3 records
  3. Environs de LékoniGabon1 record
  4. Mt. Moco Reserve IBAAngola1 record
  5. Lamingo DamNigeria1 record
  6. Musekese CampZambia1 record
  7. Semahwa FarmZambia1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

ZambiaMozambiqueCongo - BrazzavilleNigeriaAngolaGabon

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 locust finch or locustfinch (Paludipasser locustella) is a species of waxbill found in south-central and south-eastern Africa. It is the only species in the genus Paludipasser. It is sometimes placed in the genus Ortygospiza.

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

Questions

How big is the Locust Finch?

The Locust Finch is about 9–10 cm long and weighs around 11 g.

Where does the Locust Finch live?

Its breeding range: Africa: south-central, southeastern. It is most often recorded in Zambia, Mozambique and Congo - Brazzaville.

When is the best time to see the Locust Finch?

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

Is the Locust Finch endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Locust Finch as Least Concern.

What does the Locust Finch eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Locust Finch in?

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

At a glance

Length
9–10 cm
Weight
11 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Seeds
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
44 mm
Tail
30 mm
Bill
9 mm
Tarsus
16 mm

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

Range

Africa: south-central, southeastern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

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

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Locust Finch

Download illustration

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

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