Cinderella waxbill
| Cinderella waxbill | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Estrildidae |
| Genus: | Estrilda |
| Species: | E. thomensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Estrilda thomensis (Sousa, 1888) | |
The Cinderella waxbill (Estrilda thomensis) is a near-threatened species of estrildid finch found in drier regions of south-western Angola around Namibe Province, north and east to south-west Huila Province and north to Fazenda do Cuito in Huambo and extreme north-western Namibia. It has an estimated global distribution of 95,700 km2.
Habitat
The Cinderella waxbill is found in subtropical and tropical (lowland) dry shrubland, savannah and forest habitats at altitude of 200 to 500 m. It is observed that the recent development of a hydroelectric plant on the Cunene River at Epupa Falls has caused changes to insect biodiversity which were relied on by the Cinderella waxbill during feeding of its young. Thus threatening its food source to be depleted.
The waxbill also eats grass seeds, nectar and insects. The Cinderella is diurnal.
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2013). "Estrilda thomensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.