Green-winged Pytilia
Green-winged PytiliaGreen-winged PytiliaGreen-winged PytiliaGreen-winged Pytilia

Green-winged Pytilia

Pytilia melba

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
at Ruaha National Park
178 Verified sightings at Ruaha National Park From 2019 to 2026
5,550 Verified sightings across all 40 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Green-winged Pytilia

The green-winged pytilia (Pytilia melba) is a small colourful seed-eating bird in the family Estrildidae. It is widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, though it is more rarely seen in central, far southern and coastal western parts of the continent.

The green-winged pytilia was formally described in 1758 by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Fringilla melba. No explanation was provided for the specific epithet melba but it could possibly be from a supposed Chinese word or place. Linnaeus based his description on "The Green Gold-Finch" that had been described and illustrated in 1750 by the English naturalist George Edwards in his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Edwards was uncertain of the origin of his specimen and Linnaeus mistakenly specified the locality as China. The specimen was subsequently assumed to be from Angola, but this was restricted to Luanda in Angola by Phillip Clancey in 1962.

The green-winged pytilia is now placed in the genus Pytilia that was introduced in 1837 by the English naturalist William Swainson for the red-winged pytilia. Eight subspecies are recognised: P. m.... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Ruaha National Park

Orange-winged Pytilia
LC

Orange-winged Pytilia

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pytilia afra

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
LC

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus bengalus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Red-billed Firefinch
LC

Red-billed Firefinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lagonosticta senegala

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Blue-capped Cordonbleu
LC

Blue-capped Cordonbleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus cyanocephalus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
African Firefinch
LC

African Firefinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lagonosticta rubricata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Black-faced Waxbill

Black-faced Waxbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Estrilda erythronotos

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Jameson's Firefinch
LC

Jameson's Firefinch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lagonosticta rhodopareia

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
LC

Blue-breasted Cordonbleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus angolensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Crimson-rumped Waxbill
LC

Crimson-rumped Waxbill

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Estrilda rhodopyga

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Cut-throat
LC

Cut-throat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Amadina fasciata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Purple Grenadier

Purple Grenadier

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus ianthinogaster

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Bronze Mannikin

Bronze Mannikin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lonchura cucullata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~50%
2 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~40%
3 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~30%
4 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~30%
5 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~30%
6 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~20%
7 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
8 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~20%
9 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
10 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~20%
11 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~20%
12 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
13 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
14 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~20%
15 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
16 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
17 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
18 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
19 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
20 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~10%
21 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
22 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
23 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
24 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
25 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
26 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
27 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
<5%
28 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
29 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
30 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
31 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
32 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
33 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
34 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
35 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
36 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
37 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
38 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
39 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
40 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Green-winged Pytilia in Ruaha National Park?

About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Green-winged Pytilia sighting in Ruaha National Park, based on 178 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Green-winged Pytilia in Ruaha National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Green-winged Pytilia in Ruaha National Park in our monthly data.

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