Scientific name:
Estrilda

Natural spread:
Africa, Australia

the small birds of the family Prachtfinken carries different names. Concepts like Amaranten (Amadinen) as well as combinations with the name "Finch" like Z are confessed. B. "Butterfly-finches" or also trivializations of other bird-types like little "magpie and little "seagull. All these names point at the affiliation with the splendor-finches to, according to also "Astrilde", because the actual Astrilde (type Estrilda) gave its scientific name (Estrildidae) also to the whole family. These modest, colorful birdies, who never become tame, however, supply the bulk of the "Astrilden" or "exotic persons" of the animal-trade.

Into the type Estrilda, several subspecies belong with altogether approximately 28 types, the representatives of further types are called beside it "Astrild" popularly. The spread-areas extend from Africa to Australia. Here, they live in not only the steppes and savannas but also moist grassland-ships as far as to reed-overgrown wetlands, like Z. B. the Wellenastrild (Estrilda strild). They can even perform as sociable birds in swarms, like the Heuschreckenastrild (Ortygospiza locustella). it is dependent on moist tuft-grass, that guarantees an excellent camouflage moreover with the food-search on the ground for the only 8 cm long bird.

The majority of the splendor-finches became to ground-birds, they move jumping. Many can also climb skillfully in the Gezweig, however, according to the Meisenastrild (Nesocharis shelleyi). Smaller Astrilden even land on standing grass-stalks, about the seeds auszupicken. Further to the way of life splendor-finches.