BLUE CAPPED WAXBILL

Length 12.5-13 cm.

Cock Face, throat, breast and flanks light bright blue. Rump and upper tail coverts a slightly duller blue. A large patch of dark crimson on the cheeks involving most of the ear coverts. Central tail feathers a dark greenish or greyish blue. Top of the head and the rest of the upper parts a slightly reddish dark brown. Centre of lower breast and under tail coverts pinkish buff. Bill pink or reddish with a black tip. Legs and feet pale brown.

Hen A little paler than the cock with no red cheek.

Distribution and Habitat From Senegal and Guinea east to Eritrea and south to coastal and western Tanzania and northern Zambia.

Inhabits thorn scrub, savanna, dry woodland, cultivated areas with bushes or shrubs, gardens, villages and roadsides. Often in very arid country but only if surface water is available.

Feeds mostly on the ground. Known to take seeds of grasses, termites and other small insects. In captivity feeds largely on small pannicum millet but will also take white millet and small canary seed. Will eagerly take any small live food such as mini mealworms or buffalo worms Will also take bloodworm (Mosquito larvae) if offered in water. Quite large quantities of live food will be taken when feeding young.

Breeding In the wild, nests often in thorn bushes. Nest is roundish, quite small with a side entrance and built of grass stems. In captivity will use wicker baskets lined with grass or coconut fibre and some feathers.
The clutch is usually three to six eggs and incubation usually starts with the third egg. Sexes take turns with incubation which lasts around 11 days and young fledge at 17 to 19 days.

Courtship display The cock bird will hold a piece of grass in the beak and bob up and down. As he rises he throws his head backwards. The head feathers are often raised to give the head a triangular appearance.