Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-rumped Waxbill
Estrilda troglodytes
Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 7.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Estrildidae Waxbills, Munias & Allies
- Genus Estrilda
- Species troglodytes
Quick facts
- Weight
- 7.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-rumped Waxbill is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Black-rumped Waxbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) is a species of bird in the Estrildidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Mauritania to Liberia and e to Eritrea, Ethiopia and w Kenya.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 7.6 g, with a wing length of about 5 cm and a tail of around 4.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-rumped Waxbill?
The Black-rumped Waxbill is a very small bird that weighs around 7.6 g.
Where does the Black-rumped Waxbill live?
The Black-rumped Waxbill is found across Africa with a range covering AF Mauritania to Liberia and e to Eritrea, Ethiopia and w Kenya, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-rumped Waxbill belong to?
The Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-rumped Waxbill eat?
The Black-rumped Waxbill is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Black-rumped Waxbill migrate?
The Black-rumped Waxbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-rumped Waxbill endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-rumped Waxbill make?
1 real field recording of the Black-rumped Waxbill — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-rumped Waxbill's range?
The Black-rumped Waxbill has a mapped global range of about 2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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