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.

Lonchurinae

 * Parrotfinches, genus Erythrura
 * Gouldian Finch, Erythrura gouldiae
 * Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch, Erythrura hyperythra
 * Pin-tailed Parrotfinch, Erythrura prasina
 * Green-faced Parrotfinch, Erythrura viridifacies
 * Tricoloured Parrotfinch, Erythrura tricolor
 * Red-eared Parrotfinch, Erythrura coloria
 * Blue-faced Parrotfinch, Erythrura trichroa
 * Papuan Parrotfinch, Erythrura papuana
 * Red-throated Parrotfinch, Erythrura psittacea
 * Red-headed Parrotfinch, Erythrura cyaneovirens
 * Royal Parrotfinch, Erythrura regia
 * Fiji Parrotfinch, Erythrura pealii
 * Pink-billed Parrotfinch, Erythrura kleinschmidti


 * Genus Heteromunia
 * Pictorella Munia, Heteromunia pectoralis


 * Genus Oreostruthus
 * Mountain Firetail, Oreostruthus fuliginosus


 * Genus Stagonopleura
 * Beautiful Firetail, Stagonopleura bella
 * Red-eared Firetail, Stagonopleura oculata
 * Diamond Firetail, Stagonopleura guttata


 * Genus Neochmia
 * Red-browed Firetail, Neochmia temporalis
 * Crimson Finch, Neochmia phaeton


 * Genus Bathilda
 * Star Finch, Bathilda ruficauda


 * Genus Stizoptera
 * Double-barred Finch, Stizoptera bichenovii


 * Genus Emblema
 * Painted Finch, Emblema pictum


 * Genus Taeniopygia
 * Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata


 * Genus Aidemosyne
 * Plum-headed Finch, Aidemosyne modesta also known as Cherry Finch


 * Genus Poephila
 * Masked Finch, Poephila personata
 * Long-tailed Finch, Poephila acuticauda
 * Black-throated Finch, Poephila cincta


 * Genus Spermestes
 * Grey-headed Silverbill, Spermestes griseicapilla
 * Bronze Mannikin, Spermestes cucullata
 * Black-and-white Mannikin, Spermestes bicolor
 * Red-backed Mannikin, Spermestes nigriceps
 * Magpie Mannikin, Spermestes fringilloides


 * Genus Lemuresthes
 * Madagascan Mannikin, Lemuresthes nana


 * Genus Euodice
 * African Silverbill, Euodice cantans
 * Indian Silverbill, Euodice malabarica


 * Munias and Silverbills, genus Lonchura
 * Timor Sparrow, Lonchura fuscata
 * Java Sparrow, Lonchura oryzivora
 * White-rumped Munia, Lonchura striata
 * Javan Munia, Lonchura leucogastroides
 * Dusky Munia, Lonchura fuscans
 * Black-faced Munia, Lonchura molucca
 * Nutmeg Mannikin/Scaly-breasted Munia, Lonchura punctulata
 * Black-throated Munia, Lonchura kelaarti
 * White-bellied Munia, Lonchura leucogastra
 * Streak-headed Munia, Lonchura tristissima
 * White-spotted Mannikin, Lonchura leucosticta
 * Five-coloured Munia, Lonchura quinticolor
 * Tricoloured Munia, Lonchura malacca
 * Chestnut Munia, Lonchura atricapilla
 * White-capped Munia, Lonchura ferruginosa
 * White-headed Munia, Lonchura maja
 * Pale-headed Munia, Lonchura pallida
 * Great-billed Munia, Lonchura grandis
 * Grey-banded Munia, Lonchura vana
 * Grey-headed Munia, Lonchura caniceps
 * Grey-crowned Munia, Lonchura nevermanni
 * Hooded Munia, Lonchura spectabilis
 * Forbes's Munia, Lonchura forbesi
 * Hunstein's Munia, Lonchura hunsteini
 * New Hanover Munia, Lonchura nigerrima
 * Yellow-rumped Munia, Lonchura flaviprymna
 * Chestnut-breasted Munia, Lonchura castaneothorax
 * Black Munia, Lonchura stygia
 * Black-breasted Munia, Lonchura teerinki
 * Eastern Alpine Munia, Lonchura monticola
 * Western Alpine Munia, Lonchura montana
 * Buff-bellied Munia, Lonchura melaena

Hybrid:
 * Cream-bellied Munia, Lonchura pallidiventer

Estrildinae

 * Avadavats, genus Amandava
 * Red Avadavat, Amandava amandava
 * Green Avadavat, Amandava formosa
 * Orange-breasted Waxbill, Amandava subflava


 * Cut-throats, genus Amadina
 * Cut-throat, Amadina fasciata
 * Red-headed Finch, Amadina erythrocephala


 * Quailfinches, genus Ortygospiza
 * Black-faced Quailfinch, Ortygospiza atricollis
 * African Quailfinch, Ortygospiza fuscocrissa
 * Black-chinned Quailfinch, Ortygospiza gabonensis
 * Locust Finch, Ortygospiza locustella


 * Genus Granatina
 * Violet-eared Waxbill, Granatina granatina
 * Purple Grenadier, Granatina ianthinogaster


 * Cordon-bleus, genus Uraeginthus
 * Blue Waxbill, Uraeginthus angolensis
 * Red-cheeked Cordonbleu, Uraeginthus bengalus
 * Blue-capped Cordonbleu, Uraeginthus cyanocephalus


 * Seedcrackers, genus Pyrenestes
 * Black-bellied Seedcracker, Pyrenestes ostrinus
 * Crimson Seedcracker, Pyrenestes sanguineus
 * Lesser Seedcracker, Pyrenestes minor


 * Bluebills, genus Spermophaga
 * Grant's Bluebill, Spermophaga poliogenys
 * Western Bluebill, Spermophaga haematina
 * Red-headed Bluebill, Spermophaga ruficapilla


 * Genus Euschistospiza
 * Dybowski's Twinspot, Euschistospiza dybowskii
 * Dusky Twinspot, Euschistospiza cinereovinacea


 * Genus Hypargos
 * Pink-throated Twinspot, Hypargos margaritatus
 * Red-throated Twinspot, Hypargos niveoguttatus


 * Pytilias, genus Pytilia
 * Green-winged Pytilia, Pytilia melba
 * Orange-winged Pytilia, Pytilia afra
 * Red-billed Pytilia, Pytilia lineata
 * Red-winged Pytilia, Pytilia phoenicoptera
 * Yellow-winged Pytilia, Pytilia hypogrammica


 * Genus Clytospiza
 * Brown Twinspot, Clytospiza monteiri


 * Firefinches, genus Lagonosticta
 * Red-billed Firefinch, Lagonosticta senegala
 * Brown Firefinch, Lagonosticta nitidula
 * Bar-breasted Firefinch, Lagonosticta rufopicta
 * Black-faced Firefinch, Lagonosticta larvata
 * Black-bellied Firefinch, Lagonosticta rara
 * Landana Firefinch, Lagonosticta landanae
 * African Firefinch, Lagonosticta rubricata
 * Mali Firefinch, Lagonosticta virata
 * Rock Firefinch, Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis
 * Chad Firefinch, Lagonosticta umbrinodorsalis
 * Jameson's Firefinch, Lagonosticta rhodopareia


 * Antpeckers, genus Parmoptila
 * Woodhouse's Antpecker, Parmoptila woodhousei
 * Red-fronted Antpecker, Parmoptila rubrifrons
 * Jameson's Antpecker, Parmoptila jamesoni – often included in P. rubrifrons


 * Negrofinches, genus Nigrita
 * White-breasted Nigrita, Nigrita fusconota
 * Chestnut-breasted Nigrita, Nigrita bicolor
 * Pale-fronted Nigrita, Nigrita luteifrons
 * Grey-headed Nigrita, Nigrita canicapilla


 * Genus Coccopygia
 * Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Coccopygia quartinia
 * Angolan Waxbill, Coccopygia bocagei
 * Swee Waxbill, Coccopygia melanotis


 * Olivebacks, genus Nesocharis
 * Shelley's Oliveback, Nesocharis shelleyi
 * White-collared Oliveback, Nesocharis ansorgei
 * Grey-headed Oliveback, Nesocharis capistrata


 * Genus Mandingoa
 * Green-backed Twinspot, Mandingoa nitidula


 * Crimson-wings, genus Cryptospiza
 * Red-faced Crimsonwing, Cryptospiza reichenovii
 * Abyssinian Crimsonwing, Cryptospiza salvadorii
 * Dusky Crimsonwing, Cryptospiza jacksoni
 * Shelley's Crimsonwing, Cryptospiza shelleyi


 * Waxbills, genus Estrilda
 * Lavender Waxbill, Estrilda caerulescens
 * Grey Waxbill, Estrilda perreini
 * Cinderella Waxbill, Estrilda thomensis
 * Anambra Waxbill, Estrilda poliopareia
 * Fawn-breasted Waxbill, Estrilda paludicola
 * Abyssinian Waxbill, Estrilda ochrogaster
 * Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Estrilda melpoda
 * Crimson-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda rhodopyga
 * Arabian Waxbill, Estrilda rufibarba
 * Black-rumped Waxbill, Estrilda troglodytes
 * Common Waxbill, Estrilda astrild
 * Black-lored Waxbill, Estrilda nigriloris
 * Black-headed Waxbill, Estrilda atricapilla
 * Black-crowned Waxbill, Estrilda nonnula
 * Kandt's Waxbill, Estrilda kandti
 * Black-faced Waxbill, Estrilda erythronotos
 * Black-cheeked Waxbill, Estrilda charmosyna

==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.