Vidua paradisaea
The Long-tailed Paradise Whydah (Vidua paradisaea) is an exceptionally striking passerine bird, renowned for the male's spectacular breeding plumage. During this period, males display a glossy black body, a vibrant rufous-orange collar and chest, and an incredibly elongated, flowing tail that can reach up to 30 cm, making the total body length about 36-40 cm; females and non-breeding males are comparatively drab, streaky brown, measuring around 12-14 cm. A key field mark is the male's distinc...
Primarily found in semi-arid to sub-humid savannas, grasslands, open woodlands, and cultivated areas, typically at low to moderate elevations.
Primarily granivorous, feeding on small grass seeds, which they glean from the ground or pluck directly from seed heads; occasionally consumes insects, especially during the breeding season.
Long-tailed Paradise Whydahs are diurnal, often roosting communally in thickets outside the breeding season. Foraging occurs mainly on the ground, where they glean seeds, though they may also pluck them directly from grass heads. During the breeding season, males establish territories, actively d...
The Long-tailed Paradise Whydah boasts a wide, though somewhat disjunct, distribution across sub-Saharan Africa. Its primary range extends from Senegal and Gambia in West Africa eastward through the Sahel region to Ethiopia, and then south through East Africa, covering countries like Kenya, Tanza...
Least Concern
- The male's breeding tail can be more than twice the length of its body, reaching up to 30 cm, and is shed after the breeding season. - As an obligate brood parasite, the Long-tailed Paradise Whydah never builds its own nest or raises its young; it relies entirely on host species, primarily the ...