Euplectes nigroventris
The Zanzibar Red Bishop, *Euplectes nigroventris*, is a striking passerine bird of the family Ploceidae, renowned for its dramatic sexual dimorphism. Breeding males boast a brilliant scarlet-red crown, nape, mantle, rump, and breast, starkly contrasted by a velvety-black face, throat, belly, flanks, wings, and tail. This distinctive black belly is a key field mark. Females and non-breeding males, in contrast, wear a cryptic streaky brown plumage, rendering them inconspicuous within their gras...
Found in lowland coastal grasslands, reedbeds, marshy areas, and cultivated fields, often in close proximity to water sources, typically below 1000 meters elevation.
Primarily granivorous, feeding on small grass seeds and grains; supplements its diet with various insects, especially during the breeding season.
Zanzibar Red Bishops are diurnal, roosting communally in dense reeds or tall grasses outside the breeding season. During the breeding season, males become highly territorial, defending small patches of reeds or tall grass where they construct nests. Their courtship involves elaborate aerial displ...
The Zanzibar Red Bishop is primarily a resident species found along the coastal lowlands of East Africa. Its distribution extends from southeastern Kenya, southward through Tanzania, encompassing the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, and continuing into northern Mozambique. This species largely inha...
Least Concern
- The male's stunning red and black breeding plumage is one of the most vibrant among African passerines, rivaling many tropical species. - Males are polygynous, defending a territory and attempting to attract multiple females, sometimes up to seven, to nest within it. - During courtship, males p...