Quailfinch

The quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) is a species of the estrildid finch. It is found in open grasslands in Africa. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, thick, red bills. They are very terrestrial, with lark-like feet and claws.

The quailfinch is 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in) in overall length and weighs 9–12.4 g (0.32–0.44 oz). The male of the nominate subspecies is grey-brown above with a brown tail and wings. The face is black except for a small white patch on the chin. There is an incomplete ring of white feathers around the eye. The throat is black, the upper breast and sides are black with grey and white barring. The lower breast is chestnut, the belly is paler, the undertail-coverts are whitish with black bars. The bill is red in the breeding season but outside the breeding season the upper mandible is black. The legs are bright orange or pinkish. The female has a grey face, less streaking on the upperparts and less barring on the sides.