The finches of family Estrildidae are small birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are closely related to the true sparrows of family Passeridae. The estrilidid finches are gregarious and often seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. They vary from 8-17 cm. These finches are all similar in structure and habits, but vary widely in plumage colors and pattern. All the estrildids build large domed nests and lay 5–10 white eggs. Most are sensitive to cold and require a warm, usually tropical, habitat, although a few have adapted to the cooler climates of southern Australia.

They are not closely related to the Fringillid Finches.  [abstracted from Wikipedia]


Genus Amadina

Finch, Red-headed  Amadina erythrocephala  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) Hans Hillewaert - Namibia



Genus Emblema - 1 species

Finch, Painted aka Painted Firetail Emblema pictum Found: Australia
Photographed by: William Kreijkes
1) Male



Genus Erythrura

Finch, Gouldian Erythrura gouldiae or Chloebia gouldiae   Endemic to Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Trisha Shears at the Cincinnati Zoo   3, 4, 5) Dick Daniels - Butterfly World in Florida
1) Juvenile



Parrotfinch, Blue-faced  Erythrura trichroa  Found: Asia, Australia
Photographed by: Isidro Martínez - Canary Islands


Parrotfinch, Tricolored  aka  Forbes Parrot Finch  Erythrura tricolor   Found: Indonesia
Photographed by:  1, 3, 4) Dick Daniels - Butterfly World - Florida  2) Sandy Cole - Butterfly World in Florida



Genus Estrilda

Waxbill, Black-cheeked  Estrilda erythronotos  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) Jerry Oldenettel - Okaukuejo, Oshikoto, Namibia


Waxbill, Common   Estrilda astrild Found: Africa, widely introduced elsewhere
Photographed by: 1) Arno Meintjes   2) Dick Daniels on Oahu, Hawaii   3) Juan Emilio   4) Andre Simons    5) Jose Rocha.



Waxbill, Yellow-bellied aka Swee Waxbill  Estrilda melanotis  Found: Africa
Photographed by: Derek Keats
1) Male on left, femal on right



Genus Euodice

Silverbill, Indian  Euodice malabarica   Found: Asia
Photographed by: 1) J. M. Garg - Haryana, India  2, 3) DIck Daniels - Hawaii



Genus Hypargos

Twinspot, Peters's  Hypargos niveoguttatus  Found: Africa
Phototgraphed by: Sandy Cole - Butterfly World in Florida



Genus Lagonosticta

Firefinch, Red-billed  Lagonosticta senegala  Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2) ChriKo  3) Arno Meintjes



Genus Lonchura

Mannikin, Bronze  aka Bronze Munia  Lonchura cucullata  Found: Africa, Caribbean (introduced)
Photographed by: 1) New Jersy Birds  2) Charlie Westerinen  3, 4) Dick Daniels on St. John, Virgin Islands
4) Juvenile


Mannikin, Chestnut  aka Chestnut Munia aka Southern Black-headed Munia Lonchura atricapilla Found: Asia, Philippines, Hawaii
Photographed by DIck Daniels - Hawaii    


Mannikin, Chestnut-breasted  aka  Chestnut-breasted Munia  Lonchura castaneothorax Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) Aviceda - Samsonvale Cemetery, SE Queensland, Australia 
    2) David Cook - Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo 


Mannikin, Nutmeg aka Scaly-breasted Munia aka Spice Finch Lonchura punctulata  
    Found: North America (escapees), Asia, Australia (introduced), Hawaii
Photographed by:   1) Durai Raj  2, 3, 4) DIck Daniels - Hawaii
4) Juvenile



Genus Loxigilla

Bullfinch, Greater Antillean  Loxigilla violacea   Found: the Caribbean
Photographed by: 1, 2) New Jersy Birds
1) Female   2) Male


Bullfinch, Lesser Antillean  Loxigilla noctis  Found: the Caribbean
Photographed by:  1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7) Dick Daniels on St. John, US Virgin Islands   3) New Jersy Birds
1, 2, 3) Female   4) Juvenile male  5, 6, 7) Male




Genus Neochmia

Finch, Plum-headed  Neochmia modesta  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Aviceda - Gatton, Queensland  3) David Cook



Finch, Red-browed  Neochmia temporalis  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) David Cook - Rocky Hall, NSW, Australia 


  Neochmia ruficauda  Found: Australia
Photographed by:  1) JJ Harrison - Walk-in Aviary, Canberra, Australian National Territory  2) André Karwath 
    3) David Cook - Beerwah, Queensland



Genus Padda

Finch, Java aka Java Sparrow Padda oryzivora   Found: North America (escapees), Asia, Australia (introduced), Hawaii (introduced),
Photographed by: 1, 3, 4)  DIck Daniels - Hawaii   2) Arthur Chapman



Genus Poephila

Finch, Long-tailed aka Shaft-tailed Finch  Poephila acuticauda  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) Dick Daniels - Butterfly World in Florida
4, 5, 6) Fawn morph




Genus Pytilia

Pytilia, Green-winged  Pytilia melba Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Lip Kee Yap Tsavo East, Kenya  2) Arno Meintjes
1, 2) Male.


Pytilia, Red-winged  Pytilia phoenicoptera Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1) Arno Meintjes



Genus Stagonopleura

Firetail, Beautiful  Stagonopleura bella  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) David Cook - Kangaroo Island, South Australia and Little Forest Plateau, Moreton National Park
   3) Aviceda - Melaleuca, SW Tasmania


Firetail, Diamond  Stagonopleura guttata  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1) JJ Harrison - Victoria, Australia  2, 3, 4) David Cook -  Wamboin, NSW, Australia.
4) Juvenile



Genus Taeniopygia

Finch, Double-barred  aka  Owl Finch  Taeniopygia bichenovii  Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) Dick Daniels - Butterfly World in Florida 
    3, 4) David Cook - Callum Brae Nature Reserve, Canberra, ACT, Australia


Finch, Zebra    Found: Australia
Photographed by: 1, 2) David Cook - May River (the Kimberley), Western Australia
    3, 4) Sandy Cole and Dick Daniels - Butterfly World in Florida
2) Juvenile  3, 4) Black-cheeked morph



Genus Uraeginthus

Cordon-blue, Blue-breasted  aka Blue Waxbill   Uraeginthus angolensis Found: Southern Africa
Photographed by:  1)  Paul Baker 2) dBerliner - Namibia  3) Dick Daniels - Kruger National Park, South Africa  
    4, 5, 6) Hans Hillewaert   7) Arno Meintjes



Cordon-Blue, Red-cheeked  Uraeginthus bengalus Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1, 2)  Carol Foil - Kenya  3) Darren Bellerby - Sunbird Lodge, Lake Elementatia Kenya



Grenadier, Common aka Violet-eared Waxbill Uraeginthus granatinus Found: Africa
Photographed by: 1)  Arno Meintjes  2) Alastair Rae
1, 2) Male  


Grenadier, Purple Uraeginthus ianthinogaster   Found: Africa
Photographed by:  1) Sandy Cole - Butterfly World in Florida  2, 3) DIck Daniels - Tanzania
1, 2) Male  3) Female

Genus Viduidae

Indigobird, Village  Vidua chalybeata  Found: Africa
Photographed by Charlie Westerinen - Victoria Falls Zimbabwe


Whydah, Eastern Paradise aka Long-tailed Paradise Whydah  Vidua paradisaea  Found: Africa
1,2) Doug Janson
1) Female  2) Male


Whydah, Shaft-tailed Vidua regia Found: Africa
Photographed by: Jerry Oldenettel - Namibia