Brown Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) [XC460841]
by Rick Nuttall from Nambwa Campsite \/ Island, Zambezi Region, Namibia, Namibia (alarm call, call)
Brown Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) [XC872305]
by Dries Van de Loock from Ntanda Cottage, Chingola, Copperbelt Province, Zambia (call)
Subspecies
Bar-breasted Firefinch (Lagonosticta rufopicta) and Brown Firefinch (Lagonosticta nitidula) (Sibley and Monroe 1990, 1993) are retained as separate species contra Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993) who include nitidula as a subspecies of Bar-breasted Firefinch (Lagonosticta rufopicta).
Forms a superspecies with Bar-breasted Firefinch (Lagonosticta rufopicta), and sometimes considered conspecific.
Proposed subspecies plumbaria (described from Sepupa, in north-western Botswana) on average somewhat greyer than birds elsewhere in species' range, but no constant differences.