It’s a tough life out here in the wild.
Eat or get eaten. That’s pretty much the daily synopsis for 99% of the species (I’d say elephants don’t stress too much about the getting eaten part).
With threats coming from above, on and even below ground, the wildlife is constantly on the look out for danger.
One of the toughest challenges for all is raising young successfully.
A female Natal Spurfowl with her chicks. Being a ground-nester, spurfowls are constantly on the lookout for potential threats. Their chicks are born well developed (precocial) and move around immediately after hatching, hence the need for excellent camouflage.
One little creature that really drew my attention recently is the blue waxbill – a bird about the size of a passion fruit/granadilla and probably half that weight. They fly around in little flocks from bush to bush, spending a lot of time on the ground. They can easily be overlooked but with their pastel blue colouration, are exquisite birds.
A small flock of blue waxbills having a drink.
For such a small bird, raising chicks presents a challenge as everything wants to eat the adults and chicks alike. They have developed a fascinating means of protection for their nests. There are several aspects to their ingenious strategy.
1. They use extremely thorny trees for nesting
Almost all the blue waxbill nests I have seen have been in buffalo thorn trees. For those who aren’t familiar with the buffalo thorn, let’s just say I hope you never get stuck in one – it requires a lot of patience removing your limb/clothing from the combination of hooked and straight thorns. What better place to position a nest other than right in the middle of a well armed set of branches? No bird of prey can get past the tangle of thorns, nor any animals I can think of.
A buffalo-thorn. Quite a tangle to navigate.
A flash of colour in a thorn bush. This is NOT a buffalo thorn, but provides almost equally as good a refuge. The perfect branches to safely perch upon.
2. They position their nests next to wasps’ nests
Blue waxbills tactically position their woven grass nests in close proximity to paper wasps’ nests. This is so that if a large enough predator attempts to reach the bird’s nest, it will shake up the branches and the wasps’ nest. In doing so, the wasps will become agitated and defensive of their own nest, attacking the potential threat. This is a huge benefit for the waxbills as they essentially have a group of aggressive arthropod armed guards indirectly protecting their chicks. An amazing example of commensalism in nature whereby the waxbills benefit and the wasps are neither harmed nor benefit.
A blue waxbill’s nest – the ball of grass on the right – and paper wasps nest above it to the left. One can see the sharp thorns all around the two. It was a struggle enough just trying to take this photo – never mind even getting close to the nest!
3. The nest is woven tightly to enclose the eggs
By using soft, long grass stems that are tightly woven together, the view of the eggs and chicks inside is completely obscured. Although this may seem obvious, think of other birds that use open platform nests whereby the eggs/chicks are openly exposed. The closed grass nest also protects the tiny chicks from the elements, keeping them safe from cold, moisture and wind.
There are many examples of inter-species interactions out here, many of which go unnoticed…
Interesting blog Pete.
Pete, I loved all the photos, especially the tiny bird in the tree🤗
good to know!
Thank you for all the amazing information on these small birds. I love learning about species that are new to me.
Thanks Pete, birds are ingenious nest builders and this little Blue Waxbill is a master! Also quite beautiful. Are snakes successful in catching them? I love the Natal Spurlfowl hen with chicks – such a hard work for her!
Interesting blog, thank you Pete
Really interesting! Thank you. Love this little bird.
I have never heard of a bird species using wasp’s nests to protect them….this is really fascinating!
Fascinating facts, Pete! Thanks!
Lovely blog, thank you. Years and years ago, we used to have blue waxbills in our aviary. First time I came to Africa, we saw them in the wild. After the birds we had then died, we took the aviary apart. They are so much nicer in the wild……
absolutely gorgeous!
Very interesting! The relationship to wasps was especially unexpected.
Fascinating Peter, and lovely photos from you all. Thank you. Is that coexistence of the paper wasp and the blue waxbill something like the coexistence of the sociable weaver and the pygmy falcon in the northern cape?
What a beautiful litter bird! Thank you.
Such clever little birds!
Fascinating! We often become so caught up in viewing the larger game, we forget there are so many other things to see and learn their stories as well. Thank you for this reminder.
I was fascinated with the Blue Waxbill … beautiful and very clever little bird …I loved reading about their strategy to keep their young safe and where they put their nests and what they choose to build it with …and next to a wasp’s next!!!!! Brilliant. Amazing intelligence …wonder why some members of the animals kingdom do a much better job than others in protecting their young????? Is it just because that’s the way it is??? Thank you for this post.
Nature never ceases to amaze. Thank you so much for sharing this extraordinary adaption to protect the next generation.
Pete , most appreciated is the write up and how you expertly enlightened on the nesting & defensive facets of the specie.Commensalism part was quite amusing.thank you for making us add another chapter to our birding skills
Birds intelligence to a long way aids in their defensive adaptative behaviours as they seemingly know their immediate environs thus using them immaculately to stay safe from harm without using much energy.
The relationship between paper wasps and blue waxbill exhibits the amazing networks and webs that exist in nature’s ecosystems.
Having precocial young is natures anti-predation mechanism which to a large extent has ensured some specie infant mortality rates are kept in check.camouflage too has done a lot to help counter predation of vulnerable species.powerful write up Pete,thanks so very much
Fascinating Pete, just loved learning more about these beautiful birds. I’ve said it before but you guys are walking encyclopedia’s. Gosh I could spend months with you all and still only scratch the surface of your knowledge. Super reading🙏🏻💕
Photography exhibited by team Londolozi is just so memorable & beautiful.bringing the african bush to our doorstep in colour
Mystery hovers as to how the blue waxbill finds the perfect spot next to paper wasp nest sites? Personally lm rather anxious as to finding the catalyst to this partnership
The natal Spur fowl does it belong to the same family with the Guinea fowls ie helmeted & crested? How good is their density in the Londolozi environs.beautiful birds indeed
As we edge hours closer to the re-opening of the Londolozi gates to visitors, may l personally thank the team for the amazing, memorable virtual expirience they selflessly & expertly brought to us during the past 6 months.Thank you and more blessings & bzns to you.
Thanks for the kind words!
HA, HA. Thanks for bringing back memories of the Amazon. Blithely going ahead for a bird photo, Hearing “Don’t touch that tree!”. From behind me.
Colloquial expression was “razor tree”.
I love this little blue bird!
Loved the blog about the blue waxbill! Such a stunning little bird. It always amazes me how intelligent these little creatures are. I absolutely love birds, and reading these blogs (compared to the usual larger animals) is wonderful. Life can’t be easy for these little guys. Thanks for sharing.
Super cool! The ingenuity of the natural world never ceases to amaze, and the particular natural genius of the blue waxbill is a wonderful example! Thanks Pete!!
A really nice blog Pete. Also, a very interesting observation of the nesting habit of the blue waxbill. A win-win for the bird and the wasps. Sometimes the little things in life are overlooked and yet are really interesting. Thanks for sharing with us – I really enjoyed it. Be well and stay safe.
Pete, what a cracking article. It isn’t always about the big creatures, the more I come to Africa I appreciate the smaller creatures and the ambiance .
Blue waxbill have intresting courtship behaviour whereby the male presents a blade of grass to charm the female and the posture he usually adopts has his tail being angled towards her.Melodies from him then serenade the female then of she is receptive ,copulation follows.
Amazing strategy. Thank you Pete for sharing.
How clever these little birds are! Thanks for an interesting piece. Such lovely little birds! Do they sing happy tunes too?
Hi Pete. This is one of the most INTERESTING articles I have ever read from Londolozi! I have always loved these little Waxbills but didn’t know about their private lives! There were hundreds of these little Waxbills at my Aunt’s farm in the Waterberg. I always loved them. Are they immigrants? Or reidents in .S.A? Thanks again, Pete! Wendy M
Thanks, Pete, for this interesting information on waxbills! It always amazes me, how ingeniously nature is working.
Thanks Pete for these interesting facts about this super clever little bird. I worry about those in our garden as often hear the Sengal Coucal “hunting” and as we don’t have any serious thorn trees they are in constant danger.