Common waxbills and a pool of water

Common waxbills bathing in Kona, Hawaii.

The common waxbill is a native of the African continent, being found mostly south of the equator.  They belong to old-world finches; there are 107 species of waxbill, the common waxbill is also called the St. Helena waxbill.  The name "common" comes from their native South Africa where they are indeed commonly found.  The term "waxbill" is for the bright red colouring of the face and fill which somewhat resembles sealing wax.

They are highly social birds, rarely aggressive, and are heavy consumers of seeds.  They also take small insects and feed on greens such as grass, dandelion, and even cucumber.  They are easy to keep in captivity and will even breed.

The common waxbill was introduced to Hawaii around 1970.  Since then it has spread throughout all the main islands.  They are not considered invasive as they do not compete with native species for food or nesting sites and are very docile. 

I am including a cropped image of the above photo, it shows the central figure enlarged.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com