Scientific name: Poropipes squamifrons
The Scaly-feathered finch is very small bird and is a member of the social weavers of semi-arid parts of Africa. It has a moustachial malar stripe and white-tipped black feathers on the crown and wings witch give a "scaly" appearance. This, together with the black malar stripe and rose pink bill, makes it unmistakable. The sexes are alike. The young have the crown and forehead dull grey-brown with no scaling, and the malar stripes are absent.
The Scaly-feathered finch is found through southern Africa and the extreme southern parts of Angola and Zambia. It 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. 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.
