Euplectes afer
The Yellow-crowned Bishop, Euplectes afer, is a small yet vibrant member of the weaver family (Ploceidae), celebrated for the breeding male's dazzling black and yellow plumage. Measuring approximately 10-12 cm (4-5 inches) in length and weighing about 12-20 grams, the male in breeding season transforms from a dull, streaky brown to an unmistakable spectacle of glossy black with a brilliant yellow crown, nape, and rump. This dramatic seasonal shift in plumage, known as sexual dimorphism, is a ...
Primarily inhabits grasslands, savannas, marshes, and agricultural fields, particularly in areas with tall grasses or reeds for nesting and roosting, typically found in lowlands and up to moderate elevations.
Primarily granivorous, feeding on small grass seeds gleaned from the ground or directly from seed heads, supplemented by insects, especially during the breeding season.
Yellow-crowned Bishops are largely diurnal, becoming particularly active during the breeding season with impressive aerial displays. Males are intensely territorial, performing a striking slow, fluttering flight display over their territories, flashing their bright yellow plumage to attract femal...
The Yellow-crowned Bishop has a wide native breeding range across Sub-Saharan Africa, stretching from Senegal and Mauritania in the west, eastwards through the Sahel belt to Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia, and south through East Africa to Angola, Zambia, and South Africa. This vast distribution inc...
Least Concern
- The breeding male Yellow-crowned Bishop undergoes one of the most dramatic seasonal plumage changes among birds, transforming from drab brown to brilliant black and yellow. - Males are highly polygynous, with a single male often constructing and maintaining several nests for different mates wit...