Red Eared Waxbill
I apologize for any confusion. The Red-eared Waxbill is not a known bird species. However, there is a similar species called the Red-eared Firefinch (Lagonosticta Senegal), also known as the Senegal Firefinch or the Red-eared Waxbill is a small passerine bird belonging to the family Estrildidae. Here are some interesting facts about the Red-eared Firefinch:
- The Red-eared Firefinch is found in sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola and Namibia.
- It has a striking appearance, with a bright red mask around its eyes, a red rump, and a black beak. The rest of its plumage is a mix of brown, gray, and white.
- Both males and females have red masks, but the male has brighter colors and more distinct markings overall.
- Red-eared Firefinches are social birds and are often seen in small flocks.
- They feed primarily on grass seeds, but also eat insects and fruits.
- They are popular in aviculture and are commonly kept as pets due to their striking appearance and pleasant songs.
- Red-eared Firefinches are known to breed throughout the year, building their nests in bushes or small trees.
- They are not considered threatened at present, but habitat loss and fragmentation due to human activities may pose a potential threat to their populations in the future.
Scientific Name: Fstrilda troglodytes
Origin: Central Africa
A lively and tolerant waxbill, this bird is easy to keep in a mixed collection.
Description:
Size: 10cm (4 in)
COCK:
Body: pinkish-beige. Wings: light brown. Tail: light brown. Eye stripes: red. Beak: red. Legs: cream. The cock assumes a pink color on the belly during the breeding season.
HEN:
Similar, rather difficult to sex by appearance. Observe behavior and look for pink color on the belly of cock.
Diet: (Seedeater)
Mixed millets and plain canary seeds form the basic diet. Millet sprays and seeding grasses are relished. The Red-Eared Waxbill is quite hardy but should have a frost-proof shelter or room for winter. When molting, this bird needs a little extra attention and warmth, plus a few drops of cod liver oil.
Breeding:
The Red-Eared Waxbill should be encouraged to nest when there are plentiful supplies of fresh ants’ eggs available for chick rearing.
The cock dances around his hen with a blade of grass in his beak. He has a ‘chirrupy’ mating song. The hen often replies with a soft, quiet, gurgling sound. If breeding, this bird requires a secluded corner of the aviary as it is easily frightened of the nest. Nesting boxes should be provided. The nest is constructed with a narrow entrance passage and lined with hair and wool, which should be placed on bushes near the nest site for the bird to pick up. A choice of boxes fixed at varying heights encourages this bird to breed.
The hen lays between three and five white, pointed eggs and the incubation period lasts between 11 and 22 days, both parents taking turns to sit on the eggs.
Fresh ants’ eggs, egg food, and soaked and germinated millet seed should be fed to the parent birds.
The chicks are ready to leave the nest 14 days after hatching. The fledglings are pale grey with black beaks. A few weeks later they assume adult plumage.
This waxbill has on many occasions bred with the Orange-Cheeked Golden-Breasted Waxbill and the Crimson-Rumped Waxbill, producing attractive, unusually marked birds.
Red-Eared Waxbill Breeding Tips
- The aviary where the birds should be kept must have plenty of space for flying. It should be well planted with dense bushes and trees. The height of the aviary must also be at least 3 feet high.
- The bird would rarely accept a nest box. So, to help them in building their nests you may provide coconut fibers and grasses. They have the habit of lining the inside of the nest with feathers and they also like to decorate the outside of their nest with white shiny objects like broken pieces of eggshells, dry excreted waste, bits of paper, and wet earth.
- To protect their eggs and chicks from predators the birds built a fake nest or a cock’s nest as a decoy.
For successful breeding, offer to keep a single pair of birds of this specie per aviary. More than one pair of birds can be kept only if the aviary is quite large. You are recommended to keep them in a well-planted aviary rather than a cage.
Overall, the Red-eared Firefinch is a beautiful and attractive bird that is popular among bird enthusiasts and aviculturists due to its striking appearance and pleasant songs.
See more: Red Rump Parakeet