Vidua nigeriae
The Quailfinch Indigobird (*Vidua nigeriae*) is a diminutive yet fascinating passerine, measuring approximately 11-12 cm in length and weighing around 11-14 grams. During the breeding season, the male is striking, sporting iridescent glossy black plumage with a deep indigo sheen, a prominent white conical bill, and distinctive pinkish-red legs. Non-breeding males and females are much more cryptic, featuring streaky brown upperparts, paler underparts, and a duller bill, making them challenging...
Found primarily in open grassy areas, savanna, and cultivated land, often near water sources. It typically inhabits lowlands, rarely extending to higher elevations.
Feeds predominantly on small grass seeds, gleaned from the ground. Young chicks are fed insects by their host parents, providing essential protein for growth.
Quailfinch Indigobirds are diurnal, spending their days foraging and males establishing territories. Males are polygynous, defending small display territories where they sing persistently to attract females. Their most remarkable behavior is obligate brood parasitism: females lay their eggs in th...
The Quailfinch Indigobird is primarily resident across a band of West and Central Africa. Its known breeding range extends from central Nigeria eastward through Cameroon, southern Chad, the Central African Republic, and potentially into South Sudan and northern Democratic Republic of Congo. While...
Least Concern
- The Quailfinch Indigobird is an obligate brood parasite, meaning it never builds its own nest or raises its own young. - Each indigobird species specializes in parasitizing a single host species, and for Vidua nigeriae, that host is almost exclusively the Quailfinch. - Male Quailfinch Indigobir...