Purple grenadier Purple grenadier The purple grenadier ("Uraeginthus ianthinogaster") is a common species of estrildid finch found in eastern Africa. The length averages 13.3 cm (5.25 in). All ages and sexes have a black tail, and adults have a red bill. The male has a cinnamon-colored head and neck with a blue patch surrounding the eye. The rump is purplish blue and the underparts are violet-blue with variable rufous patches. The female is smaller and mostly cinnamon brown with white barring on the underparts and silver-blue eyepatches. Juveniles are like females, but mostly unbarred tawny-brown with a reddish-brown bill. The song (in
Asian crimson-winged finch landscapes with little vegetation, and sometimes nests in rock crevices. It feeds on seeds, and during the winter descends in flocks to agricultural fields to find food. The female lays and incubates 4 or 5 blue, lightly speckled eggs. There are several differences between Asian crimson-winged finches and African birds: Male birds show the following additional differences: Asian crimson-winged finch The Asian crimson-winged finch ("Rhodopechys sanguineus") is a pale-colored thickset finch with a heavy, dull yellowish bill. It is found from Turkey to NE Pakistan. The African crimson-winged finch was formerly considered conspecific and together known as the crimson-winged finch.