Fawn-breasted Waxbill (Estrilda paludicola) [XC195771]
by Peter Boesman from Lake Victoria Serena Resort, Kyadondo, Mpigi, Central Region, Uganda (call)
Fawn-breasted Waxbill (Estrilda paludicola) [XC48533]
by Rory Nefdt from Ikoro site, Ruhengeri, Rwanda (call)
Subspecies
Fawn-breasted Waxbill (Estrilda paludicola) and Abyssinian Waxbill (Estrilda ochrogaster) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) have been lumped into Estrilda paludicola, while retaining Anambra Waxbill (Estrilda poliopareia) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993), contra Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993) who lump all three taxa into Estrilda paludicola. This is because recently published photographic evidence has shown that Anambra Waxbill (Estrilda poliopareia) has white eyes, unlike all other forms of Fawn-breasted Waxbill (Estrilda paludicola). This, coupled with plumage and other differences, justifies its recognition as a separate species.
Subspecies ochrogaster sometimes considered a separate species; benguellensis and ruthae might form another species. In recent analysis of mitochondrial phylogeny, nominate subspecies, ochrogaster and roseicrissa comprised a clade that included also Orange-cheeked Waxbill (Estrilda melpoda), which occurs sympatrically with present species and is clearly a distinct species; benguellensis and ruthae comprised another, multi-species clade, with closest relatives nominate subspecies, ochrogaster and roseicrissa and also Orange-cheeked Waxbill (Estrilda melpoda), Black-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda troglodytes), Crimson-rumped Waxbill (Estrilda rhodopyga) and Arabian Waxbill (Estrilda rufibarba). Further study is required.
The following 6 subspecies are recognised:
ruthae Chapin, 1950 - Southern Gabon, southern PRCongo, and south-western DRCongo (along middle R Congo near Kinshasa).
paludicola Heuglin, 1863 - Southern Sudan, eastern Central African Republic, northern DRCongo (east to Ituri), northern Uganda and western Kenya.
ochrogaster Salvadori, 1897 - South-eastern Sudan and Ethiopia. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Abyssinian Waxbill (Estrilda ochrogaster).
roseicrissa Reichenow, 1892 - Eastern DRCongo south of L Edward, south-western Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and north-western Tanzania.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet