Lagonosticta senegala
The Red-billed Firefinch is fairly well distributed through South Africa and can be found in parts of all our provinces. Furthermore they occur widely over Africa, including pockets of the Sahara Desert. The IUCN considers it to be of least concern.
Red-billed Firefinches prefer thickets of rank grass and thorny shrubs in woodlands and savannas, extending their occurrence into more open areas where such micro-habitats are found, often along water courses and in gardens, where they can become quite tame. It feeds mainly on grass seeds, augmenting its diet with occasional insect fare like termites.
Breeding almost right through the year (peaking in summer and autumn when grasses are seeding), it is the male Red-billed Firefinch that takes responsibility for building the nest – a ball-shaped structure made of dry grass and feathers, usually placed in thick vegetation, and incorporating a side-entrance. The female lays a clutch of 2-6 eggs which are incubated by both parents for less than 2 weeks before the chicks hatch. Red-billed Firefinch nests are often parasitized by the Village Indigobird. The chicks leave the nest by the time they’re 3 weeks old and then become independent of their parents 2-4 weeks later. These small birds weigh only about 9g when fully grown! They’re most often seen in small flocks of up to 30 individuals, within which there are apparently strong pair-bonds, and often mingle with other small seed-eating birds.
DeWetsWild 
Ag, maar dis eintlik ‘n klein ou dingetjie!
Klein en oulik!
They are such sweet little birds – and I agree much better off free to fly and do their own thing.
I’m sure they’d not flourish in a cage at all!
Thanks for introducing me to this wonderful little bird! I love the variations in how much red appears in the different individuals…. I was expecting only a red beak.
I think the “fire” part of the family name gives a good indication of the colour of their plumage, Carol. You should see them in real life!
Dis so ‘n pragtige klein voeltjie. Glo nie ek het hulle al hier by onsgesien nie.
Ek dink in die Wes-Kaap is hulle meer volop daar rondom Beautfort Wes, Aletta.
Dis bietjie ver van ons af☺️
Nie net n vinnige dagbesoek nie ja!
Beslis nie☺️😂
Striking red finch, nicely captured!
Thank you kindly, Hien!
I’d love to have him in my finch mix. What a beauty!
Sadly I suppose their sweet demeanors are the reason why so many kinds of finches are seen in the cagebird trade, Kathy. They look so much happier free and wild.
These birds are a delight to see – and you have captured them well.
Thank you very much, Anne!
Good-looking fellow. I just saw and heard a house finch yesterday, a welcome sight and sound.
The finches really are a delightful family of birds, Janet
What a pretty little bird this one is.
They’re very sweet, Lois