Uraeginthus
| Uraeginthus | |
|---|---|
| Red-cheeked cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Estrildidae |
| Genus: | Uraeginthus Cabanis, 1851 |
| Type species | |
| Fringilla bengalus Linnaeus, 1766 | |
Uraeginthus is a genus of small seed-eating birds in the family Estrildidae that are found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The genus was introduced by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis in 1851. The type species was subsequently designated as the red-cheeked cordon-bleu. The name Uraeginthus combines the Ancient Greek words oura "tail" and aiginthos for an unknown bird, perhaps a finch.