1. ANIMALS

2. The estrildid finches are small
passerine birds of the Old World
tropics and Australasia. They
can be classified as the family
Estrildidae (weaver-finch), or as
a sub-group within the family
Passeridae, which also includes
the true sparrows.[1]
They are gregarious and often
colonial seed-eaters with
short, thick, but pointed bills.
They are all similar in
structure and habits, but vary
widely in plumage colours and
pattern.

3. Most are sensitive to cold
and require a warm, usually
tropical, habitat, although
a few have adapted to the
cooler climates of southern
Australia.
The smallest species of the
family is the Fernando Po
Oliveback (Nesocharis
shelleyi) at a mere 8.3 cm
(3.3 inches), although the
lightest species is the Black-