The violet-eared waxbill or common grenadier (Granatina granatina) is a common species of estrildid finch found in drier land of Southern Africa.

The Violet Eared Waxbill is also known as the Common Grenadier and is a member of the same family as other eye catching finches such as the Purple Grenadier and the Blue cap waxbills. With its distinctive purple face and rump, it is an easy to distinguish bird and also one that tends to be kept and bred by more established finch breeders.

In its wild habitat, the violet eared waxbill (Uraeginthus granatinus) is a relatively common bird. It lives in tropical and subtropical dry shrub land and savannah areas across Southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is a species of Least Concern so the population is stable and breeding is successful, unlike some of its cousins.

They tend to live in areas with dry thorn brush and open acacia woods where there is low growth. They live in pairs and forage for food on the ground, usually consisting of small seeds and insects.

The genus is a member of the Estrildid family of exotic finches and also contains four other species: the blue waxbill, the purple grenadier, the red-cheeked cordon bleu and the blue capped cordon bleu or blue capped waxbill. All of the birds are pretty eye catching with their purple and blue colouration.

The violet-eared waxbill or common grenadier (Granatina granatina) is a common species of estrildid finch found in drier land of Southern Africa.

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