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Difference between revisions of "White-winged Widowbird" - BirdForum Opus

(taxonomy, reference updated)
m (→‎External Links: removed BFTV and video link as no video found.)
 
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[[Image:White-winged_Widowbird.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Leon|Leon}}<br />Pilansberg, [[South Africa]], January 2004]]
 
;[[:Category:Euplectes|Euplectes]] albonotatus
 
;[[:Category:Euplectes|Euplectes]] albonotatus
[[Image:White-winged_Widowbird.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by Leon]]
 
  
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Length 15 cm.
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Length 14 cm (5½ in)<br />
 
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'''Adult breeding male''':<br />
'''Adult breeding male''': Black with a blue-grey bill, yellow and white shoulder; white wing panels in flight.
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Black with a blue-grey bill, yellow and white shoulder; white wing panels in flight.
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====Variations====
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*''eques'' has a browner shoulder patch
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*''asymmetrurus'' male has a longer tail than other subspecies
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
 
Sub-Saharan [[Africa]]; [[Sudan]] and [[Ethiopia]] to [[South Africa]].
 
Sub-Saharan [[Africa]]; [[Sudan]] and [[Ethiopia]] to [[South Africa]].
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 +
====Subspecies====
 
''Euplectes albonotatus'' has three subspecies.<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>
 
''Euplectes albonotatus'' has three subspecies.<sup>[[#References|1]]</sup>
 
*''E. a. eques''
 
*''E. a. eques''
 
:*[[Central African Republic]], southwestern [[Sudan]], southeastern [[South Sudan]], [[Ethiopia]], northeastern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]],  [[Kenya]], and [[Tanzania]]
 
:*[[Central African Republic]], southwestern [[Sudan]], southeastern [[South Sudan]], [[Ethiopia]], northeastern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]],  [[Kenya]], and [[Tanzania]]
:*Browner shoulder patch
 
 
*''E. a. asymmetrurus''
 
*''E. a. asymmetrurus''
 
:*Western [[Gabon]] to western [[Angola]]; [[São Tomé]]
 
:*Western [[Gabon]] to western [[Angola]]; [[São Tomé]]
:*Male with a longer tail than other subspecies
 
 
*''E. a. albonotatus''
 
*''E. a. albonotatus''
 
:*Southern [[Tanzania]] to northeast [[Botswana]] and [[South Africa]]
 
:*Southern [[Tanzania]] to northeast [[Botswana]] and [[South Africa]]
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Tall grassland with bushes, including tall grass in road verges and old lands; often moist or marshy areas.
 
Tall grassland with bushes, including tall grass in road verges and old lands; often moist or marshy areas.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
====Diet====
 
Non-breeding birds forage in large flocks (often with other seed-eating species).  Diet is mainly grass seeds; also nectar and insects.
 
Non-breeding birds forage in large flocks (often with other seed-eating species).  Diet is mainly grass seeds; also nectar and insects.
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
 
Sings from an elevated perch: ''squee-squi-squeege''. Also a rustling ''shwrrr''.
 
Sings from an elevated perch: ''squee-squi-squeege''. Also a rustling ''shwrrr''.
 
====Breeding====
 
====Breeding====
Polygynous; male defends a territory of 0.1 to 0.2 ha and breeds with up to four females in a season.  The oval nest is built using grass and has a side-top entrance.  It is located in dense grass within 1.3 m of the ground.  Two to four eggs are incubated for 12-14 days by the female; the nestling period is 11-14 days. Parasitised by [[Dideric Cuckoo]].
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[[Dictionary_P-S#P|Polygynous]]; male defends a territory of 0.1 to 0.2 ha and breeds with up to four females in a season.  The oval nest is built using grass and has a side-top entrance.  It is located in dense grass within 1.3 m of the ground.  Two to four eggs are incubated for 12-14 days by the female; the nestling period is 11-14 days. Parasitised by [[Dideric Cuckoo]].
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Euplectes+albonotatus}}
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{{GSearch|"Euplectes albonotatus" {{!}} "White-winged Widowbird"}}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Euplectes]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Euplectes]]

Latest revision as of 14:44, 27 April 2023

Photo by Leon
Pilansberg, South Africa, January 2004
Euplectes albonotatus

Identification

Length 14 cm (5½ in)
Adult breeding male:
Black with a blue-grey bill, yellow and white shoulder; white wing panels in flight.

Variations

  • eques has a browner shoulder patch
  • asymmetrurus male has a longer tail than other subspecies

Distribution

Sub-Saharan Africa; Sudan and Ethiopia to South Africa.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Euplectes albonotatus has three subspecies.1

  • E. a. eques
  • E. a. asymmetrurus
  • E. a. albonotatus

Habitat

Tall grassland with bushes, including tall grass in road verges and old lands; often moist or marshy areas.

Behaviour

Diet

Non-breeding birds forage in large flocks (often with other seed-eating species). Diet is mainly grass seeds; also nectar and insects.

Vocalisation

Sings from an elevated perch: squee-squi-squeege. Also a rustling shwrrr.

Breeding

Polygynous; male defends a territory of 0.1 to 0.2 ha and breeds with up to four females in a season. The oval nest is built using grass and has a side-top entrance. It is located in dense grass within 1.3 m of the ground. Two to four eggs are incubated for 12-14 days by the female; the nestling period is 11-14 days. Parasitised by Dideric Cuckoo.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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