Waxbills and their Allies (Part 1)

Abstract

Introduction 

'' waxbills" is a term used for small

finch-like birds belonging to the family Estrildidae, which is made up of around 128 different species in 27 genera (groups). These species range in size from being a little smaller than a House Sparrow Passer domesticus to being more diminutive than the Goldcrest Regulus regulus and they occur naturally only in Africa and eastwards through Arabia and India to southern China, southeastern Asia, Australasia and many of the Pacific islands. To a scientist all species in the Estrildidae are classed as waxbills - but they are classed as estrildid finches, too. To confuse matters, in aviculture, where it is agreed that all waxbills are estrildid finches, it is not agreed that all estrildid finches are waxbills! This begs the question "What, then, is a waxbill?"

The name "Waxbill" was originally given to those birds of the genus Estrilda that were early imported into Europe (or at least one of them, most likely the Common Waxbill E. astrild) and which possessed red bills resembling the sealing wax used on letters and documents of the time. Thereafter the name began to be applied to all other species, with or without red bills, that were thought to be fairly closely related to them, such as cordon-bleus, firefinches and avadavats. In Australia, largely because of their red bills, what is now known as the Red-browed Finch Aegintba temporalis and, some·times, the Zebra Finch Poephila guttat-

ta were typically thus labeled. Gradually, however, "waxbill" came to

be applied only to a small number of African and one Arabian species and the two Asian avadavats, with "grassfinch" being used to distinguish their Australian cousins. Also, other English names came into usage to further differentiate species in the various genera, such as "parrot-finch" for the Erytbrura and "mannikin'' or "munia" for the Lonchura, etc.

In deciding on the title of this series I was mindful of the fact that there are a number of species the aviculturist would consider to be "good" waxbills, in other words those of which there is no doubt. These are all the typical Estrilda waxbills, which actually have "Waxbill" as their substantive name, as well as the firefinches, cordon-bleus, the Goldbreast and avadavats, twinspots, blue-bills, seedcrackers, crimson-wings and pytilias.

But what of the quail-finches, negro-finches, olive-backs, and antpeckers? And what, too, of the Cutthroat and the Red-headed Finch whose closest relatives are believed to be the pytilias, so-called "good" waxbills? And there may even be an argument for including the Australian Redbrowed Finch, or Sydney Waxbill as it is otherwise known.

Clearly, it is impossible to define exactly what does constitute heing a waxbill and, therefore, it would be unwise to exclude any of the species just mentioned. Rather, it would be prudent to lump them all together, accept that there are some "good" waxbills among them and, for the rest, to include them as allies. That is what I have done here.

Behavior Grass Dependency

Although waxbills are primarily seed-eaters not every species relies on grass seed for its subsistence diet, eating other plant seeds instead. Nevertheless,

 

almost all will partake of it some of the time and the majority will eat it most of the time. Only the aberrant allies, the ant-peckers, negro-finches and olivebacks, with one exception, are truly independent of any plant seeds (though the seeds found in fruit are consumed by some species), as these have developed specialized feeding habits more akin to insectivores and frugivores. The exception is the White-collared Oliveback Nesocharis ansorgei, which is believed to feed entirely on the seeds of the composite Me/anthera scandens.

Those waxbills that are heavily dependent on grass for food also lead lives inextricably linked to it in other ways. Besides the provision of seeds, the grass yields up succulent young shoots and abounds with tiny insects. The grass also affords the waxbills protection, as foraging for seeds that have fallen to the ground means they are often at liberty to eat while, at the same time, being camouflaged from many potential predators. Finally, its long leaves and inflorescences are gratefully accepted for use in nest construction.

The grass family is one of the largest in the plant kingdom and contains about 10,000 different species. Fundamental to the grass's growth is good light, it cannot survive in the deep shade of a forest. Some species of waxbill live and breed on the forest edge and so are able to quickly dart into the bushes and trees at the first sign of danger. For sustenance, however, like their cousins who prefer or have to feed in the open, they, too, rely on the grass seeds and its harbored community of tiny inhabitants - aphids, bugs and beetles.

To survive, the grass and its insect community need water, and this comes with the rains. During and after rainfall the grass immediately undergoes a remarkable transition. Green leaves are produced in only a day or so, followed by fresh ripe and half-ripe seeds. The insects, with succulent vegetation to munch and sap to suck, are fast stirred into action. So, too, are the waxbills. With food of the right kind now available in abundance, they are stimulated to breed.

 

 

 

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References

Attenborough, D. 1984. The living planet. Guild Pub., London.

Goodwin, D. 1982. Estrildid finches of the world. Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.), London.

Hinze, I. 1998. The incredible nest-building antics of the typical waxbills. Australian Aviculture, Vol. 52, No. 8, pp. 176-178. Avie. Soc. of Australia Inc.

Hinze, I. 1999. The dietary requirements of captive waxbills. Aust. Avie., Vol. 53, No. 4, pp. 90-91. Avie. Soc. of Aust. Inc.

Kingston, R. 1994. A complete manual for the keeping and breeding of finches. Indruss Prod., Qld. Aust.

Skutch, A. F. 1996. The minds of birds. Texas A&M Uni. Press.

Newton, I. 1973. Finches. Taplinger Pub. Co., New York.

Restall, R. 1996. Munias and mannikins. Pica Press, Sussex.

Skead, D. M. 1975. Ecological Studies of Four Estrildines in the Central Transvaal, The Ostrich, suppl. No. 11, South Africa .