The Red-headed Finch is near-endemic to southern Africa and highly nomadic out of the breeding season, when they move about in large flocks.
Appearance: The Red-headed Finch is a small brownish bird. The males have a red head and bold white spotting on the breast, while the females are lightly barred underneath with no red colouring on the head. The birds have the typical heavy bill of the finch family. The juveniles are similar to the adult of the same sex but slightly duller in colour.
Size: This bird weighs just 23g and measures 14cm.
Habitat: The preferred habitats of the Red-headed Finch are arid and semi-arid grasslands, shrublands and savannah. It is also known to frequent crop lands and farmyards.
Feeding Habits: The bird drinks regularly and feeds on seeds and insects while foraging on the ground.
Call: The call is similar to that of a sparrow and sounds like ‘shep shep’.
Breeding: The nest is constructed of grass and takes the form of either a small pad or ball, lined with feathers. Usually this is placed in the nest of another bird or a hole in a tree or building. Breeding coincides with rainfall and is usually from February to September.
