Fun Lavender Waxbill Facts For Kids

The lavender waxbills are a finch species that belong to the order Passeriformes and the family Estrildidae. These birds are found locally in the region of central Africa and successfully introduced in the Hawaiian Islands by human beings. The identification characteristics of lavender bird species include the blackhead, legs, and flank spots of white color and black colored markings on the eyes. All lavender finches feed on small insects, fruits, nectar, and pollen. In the zoo or captivity, these birds also eat mealworms. These birds are erratic migrants that usually migrate when there's a shortage of food or due to harsh weather.

The habitat of these birds can be found in the grasslands, sugarcane fields, bushes, parks, gardens, forests and woodland, and reeds along the rivers in savannahs. These birds build their nest on the branches of tall trees. Lavenders require an aviary or well-structured birdhouse that must be safe and have free space to fly. This species becomes irritated if kept in a normal cage for a long time. They also become aggressive, especially in the breeding season. Therefore, they need extra care and also extra space to fly, explore, and forage.

If birds are of interest to you, then you may also check out swallow-tailed kite facts and blue jay facts.
 

What type of animal is a lavender waxbill?

It is a bird species of the family Estrildidae finches that is indigenous to central Africa. This bird has been introduced to many other places by human beings.

What class of animal does a lavender waxbill belong to?

Lavender waxbill belongs to the Aves class of animals.

How many lavender waxbills are there in the world?

The total number of these birds present in the world is unidentified. But it is known that their population is stable.

Where does a lavender waxbill live?

These birds can survive in both natural habitat and artificial habitats. Some of these include dry shrublands, pastureland, lawns, marshes, swamps, reeds along the river in Savannahs, and grassland areas. The lavender birds like to build their nest at the top of trees in these areas. Other birds that are seen at the top of the trees include the cardinal, rose-breasted grosbeaks, and various painted buntings.

What is a lavender waxbill's habitat?

The lavender waxbill Estrilda finch survives in various African countries, such as Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sudan, and Togo. This bird also thrives in Hawaii in the United States. The lavender finch generally lives in the areas where the food is easily found.

Who do lavender waxbills live with?

These birds of North America like to live in breeding pairs or tiny flocks but may organize bigger aggregations.

How long does a lavender waxbill live?

The lifespan of this bird ranges between seven and eight years. In captivity, it can live up to 10 years if raised with care.

How do they reproduce?

The lavender waxbill breeding season is mainly the rainy season. In courtship display, the male bird carries a piece of nesting substance and bobs up and down his head, to which the female squat and shake her tail. Sometimes, the female takes the initiative and carries nesting material to the male while displaying for him. When both of them are ready to mate, they peck each other's necks. After that, they construct their nest with coconut fibers, finer grasses, plant stems, feathers, and other soft materials. In the wild, waxbill finches build nests in bifurcate branches of trees and bushes. Alternatively, in captivity, these birds construct the nests at the top of the thick bushes or in semi-open nest boxes. They also use deserted weaver nests and wicker nests. The opening of the nest is generally a downward-sloping tube. The lavender finch species camouflage the nest with paper pieces, glossy feathers, and clumps of earth. Female finches lay their fertilized eggs in a clutch size of four to six eggs. Both parents incubate the eggs and raise their young ones on insects. Hatching occurs after 12-15 days of incubation.

In captivity, lavender waxbills are known to be difficult to breed. Only experienced breeders can hold their case as these birds show aggressiveness while breeding.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN list, the conservation status of lavender waxbill Estrilda finches is 'least concern.' This species has an extensive wide range, and the population trend is also stable. The estimated world extent of occurrence is about 911201 sq. mi. (2,360,000 sq. km).

What do lavender waxbills look like?

The bill of these birds of North America is black from the tip and dark crimson at the base. Black eye markings stretch from each side of the beak to moderately past the eyes. The body color is gray. Some little white spots are on legs, feet, and flanks. Birds also possess tail coverts and crimson-colored tail feathers, a tail, and a rump. The waxbill babies are a smaller version of their parents but are duller and lack white spots. With the combination of gray and white, the lavender bird is one of the most adorable birds. This is the reason that they sold at a very high rate at pet shops.

How cute are they?

The lavender birds are cute, colorful creatures with a combination of red and gray plumages. Because of their unique physical characteristics, these adorable birds hold a high position in the pet trade. The orange cheeked waxbill is one of the favorites among bird lovers, and they are also expensive.

How do they communicate?

The common waxbill finches generally produce numerous twittering and buzzing calls. It also creates a distinctive high-pitched, harsh and nasal song, which feels pleasant to the ears.

How big is a lavender waxbill?

This bird has a body length of four to four and a half in (10-11.4 cm), and it is ten times smaller than a Hawaiian crow.

How fast can a lavender waxbill fly?

They are fast-flying bird species with quick reflexes, which help them avoid their predators. However, the average speed of these birds has not been discovered or estimated.

How much does a lavender waxbill weigh?

The weight of lavender finches is between nine to 0.3 oz (10 g). Also, the females are slightly larger than the males.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male lavender waxbill finch is called a 'cock', whereas the female finch is called a 'hen.'

What would you call a baby lavender waxbill?

The lavender waxbill juvenile, like any other bird species, are known as chicks or offsprings.

What do they eat?

In the wild, the lavender finches feed on insects, seeds, and pupae, small fruits, nectar, and pollen. But, in the zoo, they also eat egg food, mealworms, fruit flies, pinhead crickets, wax-moth larvae, millets, sprouted seeds, and vegetables (chickweed, dandelions, and cucumber).

Are they poisonous?

No, lavender finches are non-poisonous birds. They lack venom or poison-producing glands.

Would they make a good pet?

The lavender bird species are high-priced cage birds and hold a specific position in the pet trade. They are beautiful creatures with good temperaments. But there are some problems associated with the lavender waxbills, such as feather plucking and obesity. These problems occur probably due to lack of exercise and overcrowding of birds in a small area.

Did you know...

Some waxbill species form a decoy of their nests to trick their predators. Also, the lavender finches greet each other by bowing to each other.

Are lavender waxbills endangered?

No, lavender waxbills are of Least Concern since the population trend of this bird is stable.

How did lavender waxbills get their name?

Vieillot, a French ornithologist, was the first person who described these birds in 1817. The lavender finches got their name because of the red color of their bill, which resembles the sealing wax. This species of finches is also known as lavender firefinch.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our toco toucan facts and macaw facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Lavender waxbill coloring pages.