Black-cheeked Waxbill Brunhilda charmosyna

A slim, pretty waxbill with a bold black face mask. Found mainly in dry thorn scrub and woodland, especially in grassy areas, usually in pairs and small flocks. Difficult to separate from Black-faced Waxbill in the narrow zone of overlap in East Africa, but note that Black-cheeked Waxbill usually shows less black on the belly, a completely pale chin, and paler overall coloration. Calls include a dry “tsip” and “see” which are often doubled, and a whimsical, rising “tew-tweee.”