Coccopygia melanotis
The Swee Waxbill occurs only in South Africa (it is absent from the dry western and open central parts of the country), Lesotho and eSwatini (Swaziland) with a tiny, isolated population in South-central Zimbabwe. The IUCN considers it to be of least concern.
Swee Waxbills are omnivores, feeding mostly on grass seeds and tiny insects. They’re most commonly found on the edges of and clearings in forests and woodlands and will venture into well-planted gardens from time to time, becoming quite unafraid of humans. They’re usually seen in pairs or small groups, getting their name from the soft contact calls they make while moving around.
Swee Waxbills breed from mid-spring to late summer. Monogamous pairs work together to construct their oval-shaped grass nest, usually placed high in a tree or other dense vegetation. Clutches of up to 9 eggs are incubated by both parents over a 2 week period. The chicks leave the nest when they’re about 3 weeks old and remain with their parents for a similar time thereafter before dispersing. They’re tiny birds and fully grown weigh less than 8g.
DeWetsWild 
Ag, maar dis ‘n ou klein voëltjie, en tog so mooi kleurvol. En hoe interessant om te lees dat dit in so ‘n klein gedeelte van die wêreld te sien is.
Ons het darem n wonderlike verskeidenheid lewe in ons land!
These are gorgeous photographs! I must try harder to get my own when I next visit my daughter in Hout Bay – they are regular visitors to her garden.
We had some wonderful sightings of them at Kirstenbosch, Anne – seems Cape Town’s an excellent place to see them.
They have such a soft, subtle beauty about them.
Indeed they do, Kathy, and that’s best experienced in real life!
Jul maak mens sommer lus om “bird watching” te doen. Hier het juis ‘n klein fan tailtjie saam met my gevlieg terwyl ek geloop het. Onthou jy of weet jy van Prof Proseskie ‘n voëlkenner? Hy is seker lankal oorlede. Ek kry nêrens enige inligting oor hom nie. Hy het altyd ‘n voëltjie gehad wat op sy kop saam met hom was. Tot nes probeer maak op oom se kop onder sy hoed.
Ek weet van Prof OPM Prozesky en sy werk met voelgidse in Afrikaans, Ineke. Daar is n reservaat in Potchefstroom wat sy naam in ere dra. Klink asof hy n interessante karakter was!
Ek sien ek het sy van verkeerd gespel dis hoekom ek niks kon kry nie. Hy het lank soggens oor die radio ‘n bespreking of sommer lekker gesels gehad oor voëls. Bly daar word steeds aan hom gedink i v v die reservaat.
Joubert–thank you for these photos! I am such a fan of waxbills. They are the cutest little birds!
We’re very glad they’re such photogenic little creatures as well!