Photo: Nigel Voaden from UK / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown Firefinch
Lagonosticta nitidula
Brown Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) is a member of the Estrildidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 10.7 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 Lagonosticta
- Species nitidula
Where it lives
Central Angola, central DR Congo and southwestern Tanzania to northeastern Namibia, northern Botswana and northwestern Zimbabwe
Quick facts
- Weight
- 10.7 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Estrildidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown Firefinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Brown Firefinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) is a species of bird in the Estrildidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF c Angola, c DR Congo and sw Tanzania to ne Namibia, n Botswana and nw Zimbabwe.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 10.7 g, with a wing length of about 5.2 cm and a tail of around 4.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown Firefinch?
The Brown Firefinch is a very small bird that weighs around 10.7 g.
Where does the Brown Firefinch live?
The Brown Firefinch is found across Africa with a range covering AF c Angola, c DR Congo and sw Tanzania to ne Namibia, n Botswana and nw Zimbabwe, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Brown Firefinch belong to?
The Brown Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) belongs to the Estrildidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Brown Firefinch eat?
The Brown Firefinch is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Brown Firefinch migrate?
The Brown Firefinch is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown Firefinch 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 Brown Firefinch make?
1 real field recording of the Brown Firefinch — 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 Brown Firefinch's range?
The Brown Firefinch has a mapped global range of about 1.5 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.
Explore more birds
More in Estrildidae
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.