Uraeginthus bengalus
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
A small, pale sky-blue waxbill with brown upperparts and a buffy belly; males have a bold red patch on the cheek. A common resident of dry savanna, scrub, villages, and cultivated land in The Gambia and across the drier belt of sub-Saharan Africa.
Identification
Males are identified by the diagnostic red cheek spot; females lack the cheek patch and are best identified when paired with a male, as they're more subdued with more extensive brown on the face.
Want to see the Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu?
Join Yaya on a trip to one of the sites below, or ask about an itinerary built around it — he'll help you plan the best way to find it in the field.
Tours that target this bird
A comprehensive birding, wildlife and nature tour combining the finest habitats of The Gambia with Northern Senegal's Saloum Delta — coastal wetlands, mangroves, woodland, rice fields, savannah and riverine forest, plus a boat excursion to the Scissor-tailed Kite colony at Kousmar.
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