Vidua interjecta
The Exclamatory Paradise Whydah, Vidua interjecta, is a strikingly beautiful passerine bird renowned for the male's exaggerated breeding plumage. During the breeding season, males display an impressive black body, a vibrant golden-yellow nuchal collar, and rich cinnamon underparts, all culminating in an extraordinarily long, broad, and somewhat curved black tail that can reach up to 30 cm, nearly three times their body length of 12-13 cm. Distinctive field marks include their bright red bill ...
This species primarily inhabits open woodlands, savanna grasslands with scattered trees, and cultivated areas, often near human settlements. It generally occurs at low to mid-elevations, typically below 1,500 meters.
The diet of the Exclamatory Paradise Whydah consists almost exclusively of small grass seeds, which they primarily glean from the ground.
Exclamatory Paradise Whydahs are diurnal, spending much of their day foraging on the ground or perched conspicuously to sing. Males engage in elaborate aerial display flights during the breeding season, circling high above their territories to attract females, often with their long tails trailing...
The Exclamatory Paradise Whydah is found across a fragmented but wide distribution in sub-Saharan Africa. Its breeding range extends from eastern Nigeria, through Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Democratic Republic of Congo, eastwards to South Sudan, Uganda, and western Kenya. It also occ...
Least Concern
- The male Exclamatory Paradise Whydah boasts a tail that can grow up to 30 cm long during the breeding season, making it one of the most disproportionately long tails relative to body size in the bird world. - This species is an obligate brood parasite, meaning it never builds its own nest, rely...