The Sahel paradise whydah, yellow-naped whydah or northern paradise whydah (''Vidua orientalis'') is a small
songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 500 ...
.
Taxonomy
''Vidua orientalis'' has often been considered a subspecies of
eastern paradise whydah, ''Vidua paradisea'', since both birds
parasitise
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...
the
green-winged pytilia
The green-winged pytilia (''Pytilia melba'') is a small colourful seed-eating bird in the family Estrildidae. It is widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, though it is more rarely seen in central, far southern and coastal western parts of the ...
, ''Pytilia melba'', a common species of
estrildid finch
Estrildidae, or estrildid finches, is a family of small seed-eating passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They comprise species commonly known as munias, mannikins, firefinches, parrotfinches and waxbills. Despite the word "fi ...
. However, the finch has two subspecies, nominate ''melba'' and ''citerior'', which are sometimes treated as separate species. The ranges of these two taxa correspond well to those of ''V.paradisea'' and ''V. orientalis''.
Subspecies
* ''Vidua orientalis orientalis'' (from
Chad
Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
to
Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
and
Eritrea
Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...
.)
[Avibase]
/ref>
* ''Vidua orientalis kadugliensis''
* ''Vidua orientalis aucupum'' (from Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
to northwestern Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...
) [
]
Distribution and habitat
''Vidua orientalis'' is a resident breeding bird in west Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. It lives in open acacia savannah with scattered trees.[
]
Description
The males in breeding plumage have black back and wings, with a rufous breast. The head is black, with a chestnut nape and a black bill. The dual-length ornamental tail feathers are black. These tail feathers can reach a length of and a width of . Feet are dark grayish. When in eclipse (non-breeding) plumage, the males are similar to the hen, as they are tawny above with narrow mantle streaking. In females a dark line extends behind the eye. Juveniles are quite similar to the hens.[The Paradise Whydahs Species Factsheet - Finch Information Center]
/ref>
Biology and behavior
The Sahel paradise whydah does not build its own nests, but parasitise
Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The entomologist E. O. Wilson has ...
s the green-winged pytilia
The green-winged pytilia (''Pytilia melba'') is a small colourful seed-eating bird in the family Estrildidae. It is widespread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, though it is more rarely seen in central, far southern and coastal western parts of the ...
, ''Pytilia melba'', a common species of estrildid finch
Estrildidae, or estrildid finches, is a family of small seed-eating passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They comprise species commonly known as munias, mannikins, firefinches, parrotfinches and waxbills. Despite the word "fi ...
. These birds do not destroy the host green-winged pytilia's eggs, but they deposit their own eggs in the nests of their hosts, adding them to those already present. As in other whydah species to attract hens the songs of the males mimic the song of their hosts. These birds are not monogamous pairs, in fact males breed with many females. In a breeding season females may lay about 22 eggs, that hatch after 12–13 days of incubation. The diet of this species consists of seeds and grain.[
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1924765
Sahel paradise whydah
The Sahel paradise whydah, yellow-naped whydah or northern paradise whydah (''Vidua orientalis'') is a small songbird.
Taxonomy
''Vidua orientalis'' has often been considered a subspecies of eastern paradise whydah, ''Vidua paradisea'', since b ...
Birds of the Sahel
Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa
Sahel paradise whydah
The Sahel paradise whydah, yellow-naped whydah or northern paradise whydah (''Vidua orientalis'') is a small songbird.
Taxonomy
''Vidua orientalis'' has often been considered a subspecies of eastern paradise whydah, ''Vidua paradisea'', since b ...
Taxa named by Theodor von Heuglin