Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
Uraeginthus bengalus
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 9.9 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 Uraeginthus
- Species bengalus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.9 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) is a species of bird in the Estrildidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c, e.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.9 g, with a wing length of about 5.3 cm and a tail of around 5.4 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 7.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu?
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu is a very small bird that weighs around 9.9 g.
Where does the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu live?
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, e, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu belong to?
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu eat?
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu migrate?
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu 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 Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu make?
1 real field recording of the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu's range?
The Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu has a mapped global range of about 7.6 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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