Rock firefinch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rock firefinch
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Estrildidae
Genus:	Lagonosticta
Species:	L. sanguinodorsalis
Binomial name
Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis Payne, 1998
Range map of rock firefinches
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The rock firefinch (Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis) is a small bird found in central Nigeria and Cameroon. It's a type of estrildid finch, which are tiny birds from the Old World and Australasia. This bird was only discovered recently, in 1998! Its scientific name, sanguinodorsalis, means "blood-red back." This name perfectly describes the bright red color on the male bird's back. Scientists believe the rock firefinch is closely related to the Mali and Chad firefinches. The good news is, this species is currently listed as "Least Concern" for its survival.

What Does the Rock Firefinch Look Like?

Rock firefinches show sexual dimorphism. This means males and females look different. Adult males have much brighter colors than females.

Male Rock Firefinch Appearance

Males have a bright red back. Their face, throat, chest, and belly are a deep red.

Female Rock Firefinch Appearance

Females have a reddish-brown back. Their face is brownish-gray. Their throat, chest, and belly are a grayish-red.

Shared Features of Rock Firefinches

Both male and female rock firefinches have a bluish-gray beak. This is a key feature to identify them. They also have a brownish-gray head. Their upper wing feathers are reddish-brown. The lower back and upper tail feathers are deep red. Their sides and underwing feathers are dark gray with white spots. Their wings are dark reddish-brown. The tail is black with red edges on the outer feathers. Rock firefinches have wide primary feathers. Their wings are about 54mm long.

Young Rock Firefinches

Young rock firefinches look a bit different from adults. Their face and head are a paler grayish-brown. Their overall color is less red than adult birds.

How They Compare to Other Firefinches

Male rock firefinches have brighter red backs than other male firefinches. They also have brownish-gray heads. Their primary wing feathers are wider and don't have narrow tips. Female and young rock firefinches are darker and more reddish than other female and young firefinches.

Molting and Sounds

Rock firefinches usually shed their old feathers (called molting) during the dry season. This can sometimes continue into the start of the rainy season. These birds make many different sounds. Another bird from the Jos Plateau, the Jos Plateau indigobird, often copies these sounds. The indigobird is a brood parasite. This means it lays its eggs in the firefinch's nest. Copying the firefinch's song likely helps the indigobird trick the firefinches.

Where Do Rock Firefinches Live?

Rocky inselbergs are typical homes for rock firefinches.

At first, people thought rock firefinches only lived in the Jos Plateau in central Nigeria. But now, they have also been seen in northern Cameroon, which is next to eastern Nigeria. They are mostly found in the Jos Plateau. This area is rocky and has a mild climate. Temperatures usually range from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Seasons and Homes

The Jos Plateau has a dry season from November to April. The rainy season is from May to October. Rock firefinches like to build their nests in inselbergs. These are isolated hills or mountains that rise from a flat plain. They prefer rocky areas in bush savannahs. They avoid farmlands, no matter the season.

Traveling for Water

Rock firefinches tend to stay in the same area all year. During the dry season, they travel further to find water in forests. This means they have a larger "home range." In the wet season, they don't need to travel far for water. So, their home range is smaller.

Rock Firefinch Behavior and Life Cycle

Reproduction and Family Life

Rock firefinches are monogamous. This means they stay with the same breeding partner for their whole lives. The breeding season starts when the rainy season ends and rainfall decreases.

Eggs and Chicks

A female rock firefinch usually lays about 3 eggs. Sadly, about half of their nests are attacked by predators. But if their first attempt fails, they can try to breed again. Both parents help to keep the eggs warm (incubate them). While one parent sits on the eggs, the other often watches the nest from a distance. However, only the female stays on the nest at night. This is because only females have a special brood patch. This patch helps transfer heat to the eggs when it gets cold at night. The eggs hatch after about 14 days. The chicks are semi-precocial. This means they are somewhat developed at birth. They leave the nest a few days after hatching.

Brood Parasitism

As mentioned, Jos Plateau indigobirds are brood parasites. They lay their eggs in rock firefinch nests. The firefinches then raise the indigobird chicks as their own. This makes it harder for the firefinches to raise their own young. It uses up their energy and resources.

Population Challenges

Rock firefinch groups that live close to each other on the Jos Plateau can be quite isolated. This can lead to genetic drift and inbreeding. Because of predators and brood parasites, rock firefinches don't have as many successful offspring as other subtropical birds.

What Do Rock Firefinches Eat?

Rock firefinches are granivorous birds. This means they mainly eat seeds. They find their food on the ground. Their long beaks help them get seeds out of the sandy soil of the Jos Plateau. They usually look for food in pairs. They prefer areas with more plants and less bare ground.

Foraging Habits

Rock firefinches have two main times for foraging (looking for food). This happens in the cool morning hours and again in the middle of the day when temperatures drop. This pattern helps them save water. It's more important for them to avoid losing water in the heat than to avoid predators. This is different from many other birds. Other birds often eat all day long, mostly worried about starving. Rock firefinches are also stronger than another type of finch, the Red-billed firefinch. They can push them away from good food spots.

Threats to Rock Firefinches

Jos Plateau indigobirds are not predators. But they do harm the firefinches by laying eggs in their nests. The indigobird chicks copy the firefinch chicks. This tricks the firefinches into raising them. This uses up a lot of the firefinches' energy. It lowers their chances of survival and having their own successful young. Rock firefinches have a lower survival rate than other African firefinches.

Human Impact

Another big threat comes from humans. Human activities are destroying their habitat in Nigeria. People are cutting down trees and expanding farmlands. This destroys rock firefinch nests and feeding areas. This also breaks up their habitat into smaller pieces. This reduces the size of their groups. It also stops different groups from mixing their genes. When there's less genetic variety, the birds find it harder to adapt to changes in their environment. If human actions continue to disturb their homes, it could divide the species into isolated groups. This could be very bad for the rock firefinch.

Rock Firefinches and People

Rock firefinches try to avoid farmlands. They already have a low survival rate. So, continued human disturbance could really threaten them. As Nigeria's population grows, there's more risk of habitat destruction. If we don't protect their homes, rock firefinch numbers could drop.

Conservation Status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says rock firefinches are a species of "Least Concern". This means they are not currently in danger. However, this status could change to "Near Threatened" if their habitat in the Jos Plateau keeps getting destroyed.