Rosy Twinspot

The Rosy Twinspot, also known as the Pink-throated twinspot (Hypargos margaritatus) is an estrildid finch found in the southeast African coast in Mozambique, South Africa and Swaziland. The male Rosy Twinspot has a brown crown to back, dull reddish-pink on it’s rump and uppertail-coverts, a dark brown tail edged pinkish and brown wings. His face and sides of neck to the upper breast are pink and the lower breast to it’s undertail-coverts are black. The sides of his breast and belly have large pinkish and white spots. The iris is a dark brown with a pale, pinkish-blue eyering. Rosy Twinspot males have a blue-grey bill and grey legs. The female Rosy Twinspot has a grey face to breast. The center of her belly to undertail-coverts are pale grey and the sides of her breast and belly are black with large pinkish-white spots. Her eyering is slightly duller than the males. The Rosy Twinspot’s natural habitat is in dry woodlands with dense undergrowth and thickets, sand forests, palm scrub, thorny cover along the edge of riverine forests, and dense thorn-scrub.

Geography:  Africa

Song / Call: Click to hear the Rosy Twinspot 

Size / Weight: 5″ / 13g

Sexing: Easily sexed visually.

Temperament:   The inconspicuous Rosy Twinspot forage on the ground, generally in pairs or small family groups. They are often seen with other waxbills.

Breeding:  Rosy Twinspots build egg shaped (ovoid) nests with a side entrance made out of leaf ribs, leaves, flowers and spider webs. The nest is lined with plant fibers or feathers and is hidden near the ground in dense vegetation and leaf litter. Clutches are 3–5 eggs with an incubation period of 12–14 days.

Diet: Classic Finch Seed, Australian Blend Goldenfeast, Dried Egg Food, Mineral Grit, Millet