Photo: Steve Garvie from Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Quailfinch
Ortygospiza atricollis
Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 10.6 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 Ortygospiza
- Species atricollis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.6 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Quailfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Quailfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) belongs to the Estrildidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Sub-Saharan Africa.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.6 g, with a wing length of about 5.1 cm and a tail of around 3.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Quailfinch?
The Quailfinch is a very small bird that weighs around 10.6 g.
Where does the Quailfinch live?
The Quailfinch is found across Africa with a range covering AF Sub-Saharan Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Quailfinch belong to?
The Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Quailfinch eat?
The Quailfinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Quailfinch migrate?
The Quailfinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Quailfinch 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 Quailfinch make?
1 real field recording of the Quailfinch — 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 Quailfinch's range?
The Quailfinch has a mapped global range of about 3.2 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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