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Violet-eared Waxbill:
Granatina granatina
Afrikaans Name: Koningsblou sysie

Identification: A very small bird , 14 - 15 cm, with a rather longish black tail.
Male: Body is chestnut colour and the female light brown and paler below.
Rump and forehead blue.
Ear coverts violet, ( lighter in the female)
Bill colour red.
Iris red - brown to red, with orange eyering.
The male's throat, centre of belly and undertail is black.
The female does not have the black throat.






Call: it has a repetitive canarylike twittering call.

Status: a locally common resident specie.

Habitat: dry savanna , especially Acacia with thickets and dense riverine thornbush. Occasionally at cultivated edges.

Habits: usually solitary or in pairs. Or in birdparties normally with Blue Waxbills.
Often seen at waterholes.
Acts as host for the Shaft-tailed Whydah.

Food: seeds and insects

Breeding: Season - December to June.
Incubation by both parents. Feeding by both parents.

What a colourful little bird!(male)

Seen at Union's End waterhole,KTP,October 2009!

Thats beautiful Ingrid.

We saw a couple of them in Kruger in Feb but our pics are not very good as they were so active and wouldn't sit still for a scond.

saw at Grootkolk (Magic Grootkolk) in January 2012

Violet-eared Waxbill :