Common Swee Waxbill
Coccopygia melanotis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyEstrildidae (Waxbills and Allies)
- GenusCoccopygia (Swee Waxbill and allies)
- SpeciesCoccopygia melanotis (Common Swee Waxbill)
About the Common Swee Waxbill
The swee waxbill (Coccopygia melanotis), is a common species of estrildid finch native to Southern Africa. The swee waxbill is 9–10 cm long with a grey head and breast, pale yellow belly, olive back and wings, red lower back and rump, and a black tail. The upper mandible is black and the lower red. The male has a black face, but the female's face is grey. Juveniles are much duller than the female and have an all-black bill.
The swee waxbill is typically found in uplands in dry shrubland and open forest habitats. Some subspecies also occur in lowlands, and may be seen in large gardens. This species is a common and tame bird typically seen in small parties, and does not form large flocks. The swee waxbill's call is typically considered a soft swee, swee.
BirdLife Species Factsheet Clement, Harris and Davis, Finches and Sparrows ISBN 0-7136-8017-2 Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Swee waxbill Structured guide to the species in southern Africa Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Common Swee Waxbill in Garden Route National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Common Swee Waxbill in Garden Route National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Swee Waxbill sighting in Garden Route National Park, based on 249 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Swee Waxbill in Garden Route National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Common Swee Waxbill in Garden Route National Park in our monthly data.