African quailfinch
species of bird
The African quailfinch, spectacled quailfinch, or white-chinned quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis fuscocrissa), is a common species of estrildid finch found in eastern and southern Africa. Some taxonomists consider it to be conspecific with the black-faced quailfinch and the black-chinned quailfinch, others consider all three species to be conspecific.
Description
The African quailfinch is 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length and weighs 9-14 grams (0.3-0.5 ounces). It is small and compact with dark grey underparts, barred breasts and flanks, and an orange-buff central belly. The feathers around its eye and on its chin are white. Breeding males have a red bill, while the bills of females and non-breeding males have a brown upper mandible and a red lower mandible. The female is paler than the male and has less distinctive barring.
Voice
It calls a tinny "chink-chink" when in flight.
Distribution and ecology
The African quailfinch is found in East and southern Africa. It inhabits grassland and weedy areas, especially near water.
The public source identifies “African quailfinch” as species of bird. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around African, quailfinch and species.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “African quailfinch”, the useful work is to connect “species of bird” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 2, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2868545. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
A general summary may omit uncertainty, sample limits or methodological disagreement that is explicit in the technical record. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “African quailfinch”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow African quailfinch primary sources, African quailfinch archive and African research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “African quailfinch”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “African quailfinch” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.