chestnut chestnut species bird family smallest member family long breeding male deep chestnut plumage female juvenile appearance like closest relatives genus arabian golden golden found arid areas ranging east africa found dry swamps near human adults juveniles feed grass seeds fly flocks species bird find food nests trees building nests elaborate nests description like members family chestnut small thick bill suited diet seeds length smallest member family weighs grams grams wing length ranges males females tail bill lengths respectively plumage breeding male deep shade chestnut colour black face wings tail chestnut colour common breeding male easily confused birds chestnut substantially larger white wings breeding male legs feet horn pale grey colour non breeding male chestnut white plumage buff whitish chestnut crescent markings bright chestnut breeding plumage exposed wear non breeding male bill fades tipped horn similar females tones cutting edge lower portion females plumage pattern males somewhat female grey head buff chin throat black warm brown white bill female pale yellow tip cutting edge juveniles dull grey brown pale yellow pale horn bill females juveniles hints chestnut shoulders throat distinguished kenya common chestnut range house occurs parts range basic chestnut subdued recorded variations threat rendered flight displaying males high rendered taxonomy species described journal gave specific honour explorer collected type specimen modern near occasionally given eponymous common unusual spelling specific epithet words led spell subspecies recognised described british central kenya considered chestnut morphology distinct genus authors followed treatment usually placed genus similar golden different male arabian golden entirely gold coloured male chestnut chestnut male golden intermediate british considered species range golden overlaps chestnut known small area species similar behaviour adapted unpredictable conditions arid habitat particular dead sea share courtship display males wings body intense display probably adaptation nesting trees surrounded similar habitat intense display serve important purposes keeping colony chestnut golden seen highly primitive genus related house related black recognition placed separate genus subgenus courtship display thought evolved separately similar environment species example evolution studies mitochondrial dna indicate chestnut golden derived closest relatives black distribution habitat chestnut found lower country south kenya north central range extends northeast southwest great rift valley like golden nomadic breeding recorded far breeding range found dry fields villages unlike relations golden found swamps certain population appears common large range assessed concern global extinction behaviour chestnut occasionally found away flocks frequently associate adults feed grass seeds near human eat household fed softer grass seeds small beetles recorded diet breeding nesting behaviour chestnut chestnut subject confusion early reports described chestnut nest typical nest built tree later reported chestnut elaborate nests like studied chestnut grey capped social colony grove near southern kenya reported findings journal found chestnut nests social reporting noting distribution chestnut closely social genus suggested chestnut nest parasite brood parasite like noted paper nest generally thought stage evolutionary development brood idea remains accepted suggested chestnut evolving brood known nests abandoned nests chestnut builds nests nests built chestnut like nests structures grass lined feathers breeding season varies different regions following rains breeding seasons hosts areas nests result recorded breeding month year range study locality breeding season chestnut host began started constructing elaborate nests breeding season began impression nesting grey capped social nearby males displayed new nests raising wings shallow giving high males chased social returned joined females female came near displaying male male increase rate wing spread tail bow head body formed arc exaggerated display adaptation related pair formation absence male nest building serve focus attention breeding colonies birds colony colonies trees surrounded similar habitat study seen social nests females fly displaying males typical fashion wings males saw displaying females fly mount immediately males continued wing females raise head hold tails horizontally female fly male continue displaying courtship males pairs interfere social nest building drove social study period chases fights species seen nearly minute observation male spent fifth day annoying social little recorded periods wild captivity period lasts days typically contain eggs coloured white bluish white observations indicate fed female
Chestnut sparrow