any of several red-and-brown or red-and-black birds of Africa that usually have fine white dots on their undersides. Fire finches belong to the family Estrildidae (order Passeriformes). Perhaps the commonest and tamest bird in Africa is the 8-centimetre (3-inch) red-billed, or Senegal, fire finch (Lagonosticta senegala), found everywhere in scrublands and gardens. The male is mostly light red, the female brown; both are red rumped.