The waxbills are one of the most popular groups of seedeaters. A number of species are characterized by their dull reddish beaks, which resemble sealing wax in appearance, and this feature gave rise to the common name for these birds. The estrildids as a family occur exclusively in the Old World, from Africa to Australasia.
Many species congregate in large flocks, frequenting grassland or open scrubland.
They feed close to the ground, although some are very specialized in their feeding habits, and are unknown in aviculture. Within a flock, waxbills form recognizable pairs, whose members reinforce their bond by mutual preening. Although they will take various seeds, thc majority of species depend mainly on smaller millets as a basic diet. In the wild, estrildids frequently feed on green seeds which are significantly softer than those which feature in seed mixtures. Seeding grasses such as canary seed grass, cut while the seed heads are still green, should be given at every' opportunity.