Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blue-capped Cordon-bleu
Uraeginthus cyanocephalus
Blue-capped Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus cyanocephalus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus cyanocephalus) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 9.8 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 cyanocephalus
Where it lives
Southern South Sudan, southern Ethiopia and southern Somalia to central Tanzania
Quick facts
- Weight
- 9.8 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of arid, desert country, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus cyanocephalus) is a member of the Estrildidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF s South Sudan, s Ethiopia and s Somalia to c Tanzania.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 9.8 g, with a wing length of about 5.4 cm and a tail of around 5.8 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 756,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blue-capped Cordon-bleu?
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu is a very small bird that weighs around 9.8 g.
Where does the Blue-capped Cordon-bleu live?
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu is found across Africa with a range covering AF s South Sudan, s Ethiopia and s Somalia to c Tanzania, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Blue-capped Cordon-bleu belong to?
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus cyanocephalus) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Blue-capped Cordon-bleu eat?
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Blue-capped Cordon-bleu migrate?
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blue-capped 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.
How large is the Blue-capped Cordon-bleu's range?
The Blue-capped Cordon-bleu has a mapped global range of about 756,000 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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