Euplectes laticauda
The Red-cowled Widowbird, Euplectes laticauda, is a striking passerine bird renowned for its dramatic sexual dimorphism, especially during the breeding season. Measuring approximately 13-15 cm in body length, non-breeding individuals and females are cryptically streaked brown, resembling sparrows, with a paler eyebrow and buffy underparts. In stark contrast, breeding males sport an intensely velvety black plumage contrasting sharply with a brilliant scarlet 'cowl' extending from the nape to t...
Found primarily in tall grasslands, savannas, and open woodlands, often near marshes or water sources, typically at elevations between 1,000 and 2,500 meters.
Primarily granivorous, feeding on grass seeds, supplemented by insects, especially during the breeding season when protein needs are higher.
Red-cowled Widowbirds are diurnal, spending their days foraging and displaying, and often roost communally in dense vegetation outside the breeding season. Males are intensely territorial during the breeding period, vigorously defending prime territories that contain suitable nesting sites and di...
The Red-cowled Widowbird has a somewhat restricted but stable breeding and resident range across several East African countries. Its primary distribution includes the highlands of Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya. In Ethiopia, it is found widely in the central and western ...
Least Concern
- The male Red-cowled Widowbird's tail feathers can grow to twice the length of its body during the breeding season, sometimes reaching up to 25 cm. - Males are highly polygynous, meaning a single male will mate with and attract multiple females to nest within his territory. - Their spectacular s...