Arabian Waxbill
The Jemenastrild ( Estrilda rufibarba ) is an African species of the family of finches. There are no subspecies distinguished for this species. Despite its relatively small distribution area of the species by the IUCN as endangered little ( least concern ) is recognized.
Description
The Jemenastrild reaches a body length of 10 centimeters. It has a black tail and black upper tail-coverts. The body top is brown and has up to the top of the head a clearly recognizable transverse corrugation on. Similar to the Grauastrild the Jemenastrild has a red eye-streak, but when Jemenastrild the beak is black. The cheeks and throat are whitish. The body bottom is otherwise isabellbraun whitish. The crop area and the body sides have a fine dark transverse corrugation.
Dissemination
The distribution area is the southwest Arabia to Yemen. The bird lives here higher ground notably the drylands of the Tihama Mountains. Its altitudinal distribution between 250 and 2,500 meters. In Saudi Arabia, it also occurs in the area of Wadi Jawwah.
Habitat
The habitat is dry wadis and stony hills with thick bushes or trees. He finds himself often have the tamarisk, but also occurs in the vicinity of cultivated land. In a survey in 1982, 73.5 percent of the observed Jemenastrilde held on near running water.
Way of life
The food of Jemenastrilds consists of small seeds of reeds, grass and wild shrubs. He lives mostly in pairs, but after the breeding season, it occurs in flocks of up to two hundred individuals. He is associated in this period with other finch species, especially with the Goldbrüstchen, with whom he occasionally stayed in joint beds.
About the reproductive behavior are from the field so far only very few insights before. However, according to previous observations it appears to preferentially breed in marshy areas.