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 Kruger National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Kruger National Park
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
Uraeginthus angolensis
Green-winged Pytilia
Pytilia melba
Red-billed Firefinch
Lagonosticta senegala
Jameson's Firefinch
Lagonosticta rhodopareia
Bronze Mannikin
Lonchura cucullata
African Firefinch
Lagonosticta rubricata
Brown-backed Munia
Lonchura nigriceps
Orange-winged Pytilia
Pytilia afra
Violet-eared Waxbill
Uraeginthus granatinus
Cut-throat
Amadina fasciata
Black-faced Quailfinch
Ortygospiza atricollis
Red-headed Finch
Amadina erythrocephala
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 Kruger National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Swee Waxbill sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Common Swee Waxbill in Kruger National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Common Swee Waxbill in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.