Sporting black masks and striped wings, these perky finches are one of several colorful waxbills that are kept as pets.
Bird
Diurnal
Omnivorous
8-10 gm
11-12 cm
Why can waxbills perch so well on branches?
Three toes pointing forward and one pointing backwards facilitate perching.
Gregarious by nature, these birds have been seen in pairs and in groups of up to 20.
Black-cheeked waxbills call with dry cheeps and rattling trills.
Similar to other finches, they are very social when they are not breeding.
Least concern
While it prefers grass seeds and millet that it gathers on the ground, this waxbill also feeds on insects, fruits, and fruit blossoms.
Like other waxbills, this species becomes territorial while breeding. They build round nests with entrance tubes out of grass and then use feathers to line the interior. Both parents incubate their eggs and help tend to the chicks after they hatch.
Birds of prey, snakes, and mammals can threaten waxbills.
Black-cheeked waxbills are year-round residents in much of Kenya.
Black-cheeked waxbills are found in eastern Africa.
This waxbill frequents semiarid bush at elevations ranging from 100 to 1600 meters.
While black-cheeked waxbills have many attractive traits for bird owners, they are difficult to breed in captivity.
