African Firefinch

The African firefinch is a small red or red and brown species of estrildid finch. The male has a lead grey crown, nape and neck, merging on to an olive brown mantles with the scapulars, wing coverts and tertials also olive brown, sometimes with a grey tinge. The rump, uppertail coverts, outer tail fathers are deep carmine red, the rest of the tail is black. The underparts from the chin to the belly are deep scarlet, with small white spots on the upper breast and flanks, the scarlet of the flanks continues to the side of the rump. Voice: The song, which is given by both sexes, is made up of various ringing notes which are randomly repeated and interspersed with squeaky whistle, trills and warbles. The alarm call is a harsh ticking which resembles the call of the Eurasian wren. More usual calls are rising trilling twitter " trrrrrrrr-t" and a loud clear "tui-tui-tui-tui", which is often followed by "wink-wink-wink".