Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild)

A small passerine bird, up to 9 cm in length. The plumage of the adults is dorsally brownish-grey and generally covered in fine horizontal bars or streaks. The throat and flanks are beige, the belly is partly red, and the face is covered by a red ‘mask’; the bill is also red. The tail is relatively long in comparison with the body. In some parts of the Canaries, this tiny bird is commonly called pájaro mosca or bird-fly. This species is found in tropical Africa and its native range is a vast stretch of continental Africa to the south of the Sahara. It has been introduced into many regions of the world, including the Iberian Peninsula, the Azores (São Miguel and Terceira), Madeira (main island and Porto Santo), Canaries (Gran Canaria and Tenerife, currently very rare in the latter) and Cape Verde (Santiago and São Vicente). It is widely distributed in Gran Canaria and Santiago and locally abundant in the other islands. It inhabits ravines and valleys where farming is intensive or where shrub-like vegetation abounds, wetlands (artificial and natural) with marginal reed beds, urban parks and other man-made settings. It mainly feeds on seeds and insects. The breeding season varies according to island group. In the Canaries, for instance, it can last all year, but mostly occurs between June and December. In Cape Verde it takes place from August to November, possibly with a second brood outside of the rainy season, from December onwards. Clutches are of 4-6 eggs. The nest is a tube-like structure with a side opening and is usually located in reed beds, palm trees, fruit trees and low shrubs. This species tends to gather, particularly outside of the breeding season, in large flocks that congregate to feed in reed beds, woodland and open terrain. In future it may well be introduced into other areas of Macaronesia, as occurred in Cape Verde, where it was found on Santo Antão, São Nicolau, Fogo and Brava. In Tenerife, however, these birds are now rarely observed.