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Waxbills, Munias & Allies

Estrildid finches, or Estrildidae, are a group of small, tropical, seed-eating birds that includes munias, mannikins, firefinches, parrotfinches, and waxbills. Found primarily in the Old World tropics and Australasia, these finches are not closely related to the true finches of other families. These birds exhibit a variety of plumage colors and patterns but generally share similar structures and behaviors. They tend to be sociable and many species live in colonies. These birds use their short, thick, and pointed bills to feed on seeds and often build large, dome-shaped nests where they lay five to ten white eggs. Some species have also evolved to live in cooler climates, such as in southern Australia and New Guinea's highlands. Estrildids are sensitive to cold and require warm habitats; exceptions include species like the eastern alpine mannikin and the mountain firetail which can tolerate cooler temperatures. They range in size from the tiny 8.3 cm (3.3 in) Shelley's oliveback to the larger 17 cm (6.7 in) Java sparrow. In terms of taxonomy, the Estrildidae family was first introduced by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1850. Modern studies conducted by Urban Olsson and Per Alström have proposed the division of the family into six clades or subfamilies, based on their genetic research. This family is also closely related to the Viduidae family, which includes indigobirds and whydahs, and it is believed that the two families diverged around 15.5 million years ago. The family consists of a diverse range of 139 species across 41 genera, showcasing a variety of adaptations and ecological niches within the passerine bird community.

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Categories

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African & New World Parrots
Albatrosses
Anhingas, Darters
Antbirds
Antpittas
Antthrushes
Auks
Austral Storm Petrels
Barn Owls
Black-capped Donacobius
Bushtits
Caracaras, Falcons
Cardinals & Allies
Chachalacas, Curassows, Guans
Chats, Old World Flycatchers
Cormorants, Shags
Cotingas
Cranes
Crows, Jays
Cuckoos
Dippers
Ducks, Geese, Swans
Finches, Euphonias
Finfoots
Flamingos
Frigatebirds
Gannets, Boobies
Gnatcatchers
Gnateaters
Goldcrests, Kinglets
Grebes
Gulls, Terns, Skimmers
Herons, Bitterns
Hummingbirds
Ibises, Spoonbills
Jacamars
Jacanas
Kingfishers
Kites, Hawks, Eagles
Larks
Leaf Warblers & Allies
Limpkin
Longspurs, Snow Buntings
Loons
Manakins
Mitrospingid Tanagers
Mockingbirds, Thrashers
Motmots
New World Barbets
New World Quail
New World Sparrows
New World Vultures
New World Warblers
Nightjars
Northern Storm Petrels
Nuthatches
Oilbird
Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches
Olive Warbler
Oropendolas, Orioles, Blackbirds
Ospreys
Ovenbirds
Owls
Oystercatchers
Parrotbills & Allies
Pelicans
Penduline Tits
Penguins
Petrels, Shearwaters, Diving Petrels
Pheasants & Allies
Pigeons, Doves
Plovers
Potoos
Puffbirds
Rails, Crakes & Coots
Sandpipers, Snipes
Sapayoa
Shrikes
Silky-flycatchers
Skuas
Spindalises
Starlings, Rhabdornis
Stilts, Avocets
Stone-curlews, Thick-knees
Storks
Sunbittern
Swallows, Martins
Swifts
Tanagers & Allies
Tapaculos
Thrushes
Thrush-tanager
Tinamous
Tits, Chickadees
Tityras, Becards, Sharpbill
Toucan Barbets
Toucans
Treecreepers
Trogons
Tropicbirds
Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
Wagtails, Pipits

Waxbills, Munias & Allies

Waxwings
Woodpeckers
Wrens
Wrenthrush
Yellow-breasted Chat
A photo of a Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla)

Chestnut Munia

Lonchura atricapilla
A photo of a Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)

Scaly-breasted Munia

Lonchura punctulata
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Species Categories

African & New World ParrotsAlbatrossesAnhingas, DartersAntbirdsAntpittasAntthrushesAuksAustral Storm PetrelsBarn OwlsBlack-capped DonacobiusBushtitsCaracaras, FalconsCardinals & AlliesChachalacas, Curassows, GuansChats, Old World FlycatchersCormorants, ShagsCotingasCranesCrows, JaysCuckoosDippersDucks, Geese, SwansFinches, EuphoniasFinfootsFlamingosFrigatebirdsGannets, BoobiesGnatcatchersGnateatersGoldcrests, KingletsGrebesGulls, Terns, SkimmersHerons, BitternsHummingbirdsIbises, SpoonbillsJacamarsJacanasKingfishersKites, Hawks, EaglesLarksLeaf Warblers & AlliesLimpkinLongspurs, Snow BuntingsLoonsManakinsMitrospingid TanagersMockingbirds, ThrashersMotmotsNew World BarbetsNew World QuailNew World SparrowsNew World VulturesNew World WarblersNightjarsNorthern Storm PetrelsNuthatchesOilbirdOld World Sparrows, SnowfinchesOlive WarblerOropendolas, Orioles, BlackbirdsOspreysOvenbirdsOwlsOystercatchersParrotbills & AlliesPelicansPenduline TitsPenguinsPetrels, Shearwaters, Diving PetrelsPheasants & AlliesPigeons, DovesPloversPotoosPuffbirdsRails, Crakes & CootsSandpipers, SnipesSapayoaShrikesSilky-flycatchersSkuasSpindalisesStarlings, RhabdornisStilts, AvocetsStone-curlews, Thick-kneesStorksSunbitternSwallows, MartinsSwiftsTanagers & AlliesTapaculosThrushesThrush-tanagerTinamousTits, ChickadeesTityras, Becards, SharpbillToucan BarbetsToucansTreecreepersTrogonsTropicbirdsTyrant Flycatchers, CalypturaVireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblersWagtails, PipitsWaxbills, Munias & AlliesWaxwingsWoodpeckersWrensWrenthrushYellow-breasted Chat

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What Our Birders Say
Louise L
Easy to use and accurate
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