The green-faced parrotfinch is a rare species of estrildid finch found in northern Philippines, on Luzon, Mindoro, Panay, Negros and Cebu islands. It is an elusive and nomadic bird with mostly green plummage with a bright red vent and tail, rarely seen but large flocks of up to 1,000 birds have been reported feeding on bamboo flowers. Its local name is mayang-kawayan in Tagalog which roughly translates to bamboo sparrow due to its association with bamboo flowering.
Region
Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Endemic to the Philippines, recorded from northern and central islands including Luzon, Mindoro, Panay, Negros, and Cebu. It favors landscapes with abundant bamboo, from lowland forest edge and secondary growth to foothill habitats. The species is elusive and local, often absent until bamboo undergoes mast seeding. During these events it may form very large feeding flocks and use nearby scrub, edges, and clearings. It may also venture into agricultural margins and grassy areas adjacent to bamboo stands.
Altitude Range
0–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also called mayang-kawayan in Tagalog (“bamboo sparrow”), it often appears in large, irruptive flocks when bamboo mass-flowers. The species is highly nomadic, tracking ephemeral seed crops and then disappearing for long periods. Its bright red vent and tail stand out against its otherwise green body, making quick views distinctive.
A Philippine stamp with an illustration of the Green-faced parrotfinch
Temperament
secretive yet gregarious when food is abundant
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick, darting flights between bamboo clumps
Social Behavior
Often forms flocks that can swell dramatically during bamboo seeding events. Breeding is likely synchronized with seed availability, with pairs nesting low to mid-level in dense vegetation or bamboo. Nests are typically globular and made of grasses, placed in concealed sites. Outside breeding, birds roam widely and can vanish from previously occupied sites.
Migratory Pattern
Nomadic/irruptive
Song Description
Soft, high-pitched twitters and thin tseep notes given in short series. Contact calls keep flocks coordinated within dense cover, with more insistent, rapid notes during feeding frenzies.
Plumage
Mostly green with a brighter green face, smooth-textured body feathers, and a vivid red vent and tail.
Diet
Primarily consumes bamboo seeds and other small grass seeds. During bamboo mast years it focuses intensively on ripening and fallen seed. It may supplement its diet with tender shoots and possibly small invertebrates when seeds are scarce. Flocking behavior increases foraging efficiency and predator vigilance while feeding in exposed seed heads.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in and around bamboo thickets, forest edges, clearings, and secondary growth. It forages both in the canopy of seeding bamboo and on the ground where fallen seeds accumulate. It will also use hedgerows and grassy margins near bamboo.
