Estrildid finch

The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They can be classified as the family Estrildidae (weaver-finch), or as a sub-group within the family Passeridae, which also includes the true sparrows.

They are gregarious and often colonial seed-eaters with short, thick, but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but vary widely in plumage colours and pattern.

All the estrildids build large domed nests and lay 5–10 white eggs. Many species build roost nests. Some of the fire-finches and pytilias are hosts to the brood-parasitic indigobirds and whydahs respectively.

Most are sensitive to cold and require a warm, usually tropical, habitat, although a few have adapted to the cooler climates of southern Australia.

The smallest species of the family is the Fernando Po Oliveback (Nesocharis shelleyi) at a mere 8.3 cm (3.3 inches), although the lightest species is the Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) at 6 g. The largest species is the Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora), at 17 cm (6.7 inches) and 25 g.

Species list

 * Antpeckers, genus Parmoptila
 * Red-fronted Antpecker, Parmoptila rubrifrons
 * Jameson's Antpecker, Parmoptila jamesoni – often included in P. rubrifrons
 * Woodhouse's Antpecker, Parmoptila woodhousei
 * Negrofinches, genus Nigrita
 * White-breasted Negrofinch, Nigrita fusconota
 * Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Nigrita bicolor
 * Pale-fronted Negrofinch, Nigrita luteifrons
 * Grey-headed Negrofinch, Nigrita canicapilla
 * Olivebacks, genus Nesocharis
 * White-collared Oliveback, Nesocharis ansorgei
 * Fernando Po Oliveback, Nesocharis shelleyi
 * Grey-headed Oliveback, Nesocharis capistrata
 * Pytilias, genus Pytilia
 * Orange-winged Pytilia, Pytilia afra
 * Red-winged Pytilia, Pytilia phoenicoptera
 * Green-winged Pytilia, Pytilia melba
 * Red-faced Pytilia, Pytilia hypogrammica
 * Genus Mandingoa
 * Green-backed Twinspot, Mandingoa nitidula
 * Crimson-wings, genus Cryptospiza
 * Red-faced Crimson-wing, Cryptospiza reichenovii
 * Abyssinian Crimson-wing, Cryptospiza salvadorii
 * Dusky Crimson-wing, Cryptospiza jacksoni
 * Shelley's Crimson-wing, Cryptospiza shelleyi
 * Seedcrackers, genus Pyrenestes
 * Crimson Seedcracker, Pyrenestes sanguineus
 * Black-bellied Seedcracker, Pyrenestes ostrinus
 * Lesser Seedcracker, Pyrenestes minor
 * Bluebills, genus Spermophaga
 * Grant's Bluebill, Spermophaga poliogenys
 * Western Bluebill, Spermophaga haematina
 * Red-headed Bluebill, Spermophaga ruficapilla
 * Twinspots, genera Clytospiza, Hypargos, Euschistospiza
 * Brown Twinspot, Clytospiza monteiri
 * Peters' Twinspot, Hypargos niveoguttatus
 * Pink-throated Twinspot, Hypargos margaritatus
 * Dybowski's Twinspot, Euschistospiza dybowskii
 * Dusky Twinspot, Euschistospiza cinereovinacea
 * Firefinches, genus Lagonosticta
 * Bar-breasted Firefinch, Lagonosticta rufopicta
 * Brown Firefinch, Lagonosticta nitidula
 * Red-billed Firefinch, Lagonosticta senegala
 * Black-bellied Firefinch, Lagonosticta rara
 * African Firefinch, Lagonosticta rubricata
 * Pale-billed Firefinch, Lagonosticta landanae
 * Jameson's Firefinch, Lagonosticta rhodopareia
 * Mali Firefinch, Lagonosticta virata
 * Rock Firefinch, Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis
 * Black-throated Firefinch
 * Lagonosticta larvata
 * Lagonosticta vinacea
 * Reichenow's Firefinch, Lagonosticta umbrinodorsalis
 * Cordon-bleus, genus Uraeginthus
 * Blue-breasted Cordon-bleu, Uraeginthus angolensis
 * Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu, Uraeginthus bengalus
 * Blue-capped Cordon-bleu, Uraeginthus cyanocephalus
 * Purple Grenadier, Uraeginthus ianthinogaster
 * Common Grenadier, Uraeginthus granatinus also known as Violet-eared Waxbill
 * Waxbills, genus Estrilda
 * Lavender Waxbill, Estrilda caerulescens
 * Black-tailed Waxbill, Estrilda perreini
 * Cinderella Waxbill, Estrilda thomensis
 * Swee Waxbill also known as Yellow-bellied Waxbill
 * Estrilda quartinia
 * Estrilda melanotis
 * Fawn-breasted Waxbill
 * Estrilda ochrogaster
 * Estrilda poliopareia
 * Estrilda paludicola
 * Anambra Waxbill, Estrilda poliopareia
 * Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Estrilda melpoda
 * Arabian Waxbill, Estrilda rufibarba
 * Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda rhodopyga
 * Black-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda troglodytes
 * Common Waxbill, Estrilda astrild
 * Black-lored Waxbill, Estrilda nigriloris
 * Black-crowned Waxbill, Estrilda nonnula
 * Black-headed Waxbill, Estrilda atricapilla
 * Black-cheeked Waxbill, Estrilda erythronotos
 * Red-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda charmosyna
 * Avadavats, genus Amandava
 * Red Avadavat, Amandava amandava also known as Red Munia
 * Green Avadavat, Amandava formosa
 * Zebra Waxbill, Amandava subflava also known as Orange-breasted Waxbill
 * Quailfinches, genus Ortygospiza
 * Red-billed Quailfinch, Ortygospiza gabonensis
 * African Quailfinch, Ortygospiza atricollis
 * Locustfinch, Ortygospiza locustella
 * Firetails, genera Emblema, Stagonopleura, Oreostruthus
 * Painted Firetail, Emblema pictum
 * Beautiful Firetail, Stagonopleura bella
 * Red-eared Firetail, Stagonopleura oculata
 * Diamond Firetail, Stagonopleura guttata
 * Mountain Firetail, Oreostruthus fuliginosus
 * Genus Neochmia
 * Red-browed Firetail, Neochmia temporalis
 * Crimson Finch, Neochmia phaeton
 * Star Finch, Neochmia ruficauda
 * N. r. subclarescens
 * N. r. clarescens
 * N. r. ruficauda
 * Plum-headed Finch, Neochmia modesta also known as Cherry Finch
 * Genus Taeniopygia
 * Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata
 * T. g. guttata
 * T. g. castanotis
 * Double-barred Finch, Taeniopygia bichenovii
 * T. b. bichenovii
 * T. b. annulosa
 * Genus Poephila
 * Masked Finch, Poephila personata
 * Long-tailed Finch, Poephila acuticauda
 * Black-throated Finch, Poephila cincta
 * P. c. cincta
 * P. c. atropygialis
 * Parrotfinches, genus Erythrura
 * Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch, Erythrura hyperythra
 * Pin-tailed Parrotfinch, Erythrura prasina
 * Green-faced Parrotfinch, Erythrura viridifacies
 * Tricolored Parrotfinch, Erythrura tricolor
 * Blue-faced Parrotfinch, Erythrura trichroa
 * Red-eared Parrotfinch, Erythrura coloria
 * Papuan Parrotfinch, Erythrura papuana
 * Red-throated Parrotfinch, Erythrura psittacea
 * Fiji Parrotfinch, Erythrura pealii
 * Red-headed Parrotfinch, Erythrura cyaneovirens
 * Royal Parrotfinch, Erythrura regia
 * Pink-billed Parrotfinch, Erythrura kleinschmidti
 * Genus Chloebia
 * Gouldian Finch, Chloebia gouldiae
 * Munias and Silverbills, genus Lonchura
 * Madagascar Munia, Lonchura nana
 * African Silverbill, Lonchura cantans Indian Silverbill I IMG 8877.jpg'']]
 * Indian Silverbill, Lonchura malabarica also known as White-throated Munia
 * Grey-headed Silverbill, Lonchura griseicapilla
 * Bronze Mannikin, Lonchura cucullata also known as Bronze Munia
 * Black-and-white Mannikin, Lonchura bicolor also known as Black-and-white Munia
 * Brown-backed Mannikin, Lonchura nigriceps also known as Brown-backed Munia
 * Magpie Mannikin, Lonchura fringilloides also known as Magpie Munia
 * White-rumped Munia, Lonchura striata
 * Javan Munia, Lonchura leucogastroides
 * Dusky Munia, Lonchura fuscans
 * Black-faced Munia, Lonchura molucca
 * Black-throated Munia, Lonchura kelaarti also known as Jerdon's Mannikin Scaly breasted Munia I IMG 4769.jpg'']]
 * Scaly-breasted Munia, Lonchura punctulata also known as Nutmeg Mannikin or Spice Finch
 * White-bellied Munia, Lonchura leucogastra
 * Streak-headed Munia, Lonchura tristissima
 * L. t. tristissima
 * L. t. leucosticta
 * Black-headed Munia, Lonchura atricapilla also known as Chestnut Munia
 * Tricoloured Munia, Lonchura malacca
 * White-capped Munia, Lonchura ferruginosa
 * Cream-bellied Munia, Lonchura pallidiventer Black-headed Munia I IMG 7747.jpg'']]
 * Five-colored Munia, Lonchura quinticolor
 * White-headed Munia, Lonchura maja
 * Pale-headed Munia, Lonchura pallida
 * Grand Munia, Lonchura grandis
 * Grey-banded Munia, Lonchura vana
 * Grey-crowned Munia, Lonchura nevermanni
 * Hooded Munia, Lonchura spectabilis
 * Grey-headed Munia, Lonchura caniceps
 * Mottled Munia, Lonchura hunsteini
 * New Ireland Munia, Lonchura forbesi
 * New Hanover Munia, Lonchura nigerrima
 * Yellow-rumped Munia, Lonchura flaviprymna
 * Chestnut-breasted Munia, Lonchura castaneothorax [[Image:Chestnut-breasted Mannikin444.jpg|thumb|250px|Cheastnut-breasted Mannikin, [[Lonchura castaneothorax]]]]
 * Black Munia, Lonchura stygia
 * Black-breasted Munia, Lonchura teerinki
 * Snow Mountain Munia, Lonchura montana
 * Alpine Munia, Lonchura monticola
 * Bismarck Munia, Lonchura melaena
 * Genus Heteromunia
 * Pictorella Munia, Heteromunia pectoralis
 * Java Sparrows, genus Padda
 * Java Sparrow, Padda oryzivora
 * Timor Dusky Sparrow, Padda fuscata
 * Cut-throats, genus Amadina
 * Cut-throat, Amadina fasciata
 * Red-headed Finch Amadina erythrocephala

==Origin of Estrildinae ==

The phylogeography and possible origin of Estrildinae finches have been studied. The following scheme may be useful to represent an hypothetical origin in India in the last and stronger Himalayas uplift (16.5 million years ago),when monsoon rains regime established in India (see figure). The conclusions from this study are:
 * Estrildids are a monophyletic group with polytomies that may have started evolving by Middle Miocene Epoch (about 16.5 million years ago)
 * This proposed timing is coincidental with the Fringillinae finches’ radiation starting time and also with the biggest Himalayan and Tibetan Plateau uplift, triggered by the Indian tectonic plate strongest collision; this established present day southern Asia monsoon regime and other drastic climatic changes, like a dryer weather in Tibetan Plateau and China deserts.
 * The Estrildid finches form a monophyletic group which includes several polytomies and comprises African, Asian and Australian birds.
 * The most ancient evolutive group comprises African (African silverbill), Asian (Indian silverbill) and Australian (diamond firetail); this suggests that the whole Estrildids radiation might have originated around India.

Evolutive conclusions

 * The African group Nesocharis is grouped with the African gender Estrilda.
 * The Gouldian finch (Erythrura or Chloebia gouldiae) is definitely included within genus Erythrura with the other species.
 * The Java sparrow (Padda or Lonchura oryzivora) is a very modified species from genus Lonchura: bigger size than the rest of Lonchura species, and a noticeable and quite different head pattern. It is endemic from Java, Bali, and Bawean Islands, although escapes from captivity can be seen today in other neighboring islands.
 * African munias (Spermestes) belong to a genus (evolutive group) totally different to Australian and Asian munias.
 * The Australian species Red-browed Firetail (Neochmia temporalis), very similar to African common waxbill (Estrilda astrild), is unrelated to it. Their similarities (bill, red brow, etc.) are due to convergent evolution, since their environmental pressures (weather, habitat, feeding) are similar.