Scaly-feathered Finch Sporopipes squamifrons

Identification. There are two species in the genus Sporopipes, this name meaning “to look for seeds”. They are very small, social weavers of semi-arid parts of Africa. Both species have moustachial stripes but they do not overlap in distribution. The sexes are alike. The young have the crown and forehead dull grey-brown with no scaling, and the malar stripes are absent.

Distribution. The Scaly-feathered Finch is found through southern Africa and the extreme southern parts of Angola and Zambia. There are disjunct populations in the Eastern and Western Cape. For changes in abundance in South Africa, see here. The Scaly-feathered Finch has no recognised subspecies, although several have been proposed in the past.

Habitat. The Scaly-feathered Finch inhabits dry Acacia savanna, arid scrub and bush along dry watercourses, and shrubs near houses. This species is found in pairs or flocks of up to 20 birds, and it regularly flocks with waxbills. Scaly-feathered Finches sleep communally in a nest through the year, with up to 12 birds using one nest, to keep warm on icy winter nights. Resting in the nest during the day also enables the birds to avoid the hottest times in summer.

Food. The Scaly-feathered Finch forages on the ground, feeding mainly on small seeds, with insects being fed to their young. They drink when water is available but, remarkably, they can survive for months without drinking as they can produce metabolic water from their diet of dry seeds.

Breeding. The Scaly-feathered Finch is monogamous, and some courtship behaviour resembles that of waxbills. It is suspected to be a cooperative breeder, but this needs to be investigated.

The Scaly-feathered Finch nest is an untidy, rugby-ball shaped mass of grass stems and grass seed heads. There is usually one nest, but sometimes nests from previous seasons may be present. The nest is placed in trees or bushes at 1-4 m above the ground. It may use May the old cup nest of a shrike or flycatcher and build a roof over it.

The incubation period is fairly short at 10-12 days, as is found in many passerines in arid areas. Incubation is by the female, while both sexes feed the nestlings. The young continue to sleep in the nest for several weeks.

Breeding season
at any time of year when conditions favourable; peak months Feb-Mar in Zambia, Dec-Apr in Botswana, Jan-Mar in Zimbabwe and Jan-Jun in South Africa

Nest site
placed in tree and usually 1-4 m above ground up to 6 m in tall tree; sometimes roofs over old cup-nest of shrike (Laniidae) or flycatcher (Muscicapidae), or utilizes old nest of another weaver, e.g. Ploceus velatus

Nest building
ln captivity, female built nest while male brought material

Colony size
n/a

Clutch size
3-5

Egg colour
greenish, bluish or pale cream, densely freckled with grey to brownish

Egg size
average size 15.7 x 11.3 mm (106 eggs from South Africa)

Incubation
incubation by female alone, period 10-12 days

Chicks and nestling period
chicks fed by both sexes, nestling period 14-18 days