Black-chinned Quailfinch

The Black-chinned - Wachtelastrild ( Ortygospiza gabonensis ) is a species of the family of finches. Occasionally the species is treated as a subspecies of Wachtelastrilden.

Description

The Black-chinned - Wachtelastrild reaches a body length of nine to ten centimeters. He is very similar to Wachtelastrild, with which it is closely related. The males have a bright red beak. The face and chin is black. The white chin spot, which is typical of the Wachtelastrild missing entirely or is limited to a few feathers. The tail is short and brown-black, the outer feathers have white Endflecken on. The front chest, sides of breast and flanks are black and white banded. The stripes on the flanks are wider than on the breast and mixed with brown. The breast center is pale and unlike the Wachtelastrild orange to maroon.

Dissemination and lifestyle

The distribution area of the black chin - Wachtelastrilds is Central Africa. It extends from Equatorial Guinea to Guinea and south to Zambia. The habitat are areas that are covered with moderately high to short grass. In northern Zambia, it occurs among others in dry, temporarily flooded grasslands. The Black-chinned - Wachtelastrild lives in pairs or in small groups of up to twelve birds. Hold mainly on the ground and are usually well hidden in the vegetation. Their diet consists of small seeds of grasses and herbaceous plants, and small spiders.