The pin-tailed whydah (''Vidua macroura'') is a small songbird with a conspicuous pennant-like tail in breeding males. It is a resident breeding bird in most of

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 ...

south of the Sahara Desert.

Taxonomy

The pin-tailed whydah was first described by the German naturalist

Peter Simon Pallas Peter Simon Pallas FRS FRSE (22 September 1741 – 8 September 1811) was a Prussian zoologist and botanist who worked in Russia between 1767 and 1810. Life and work Peter Simon Pallas was born in Berlin, the son of Professor of Surgery Si ...

in 1764 and given the

binomial name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''Fringilla macroura''.

Description

The pin-tailed whydah is 12–13 cm in length, although the breeding male's tail adds another 20 cm to this. The adult male has a black back and crown, and a very long black tail. The wings are dark brown with white patches, and the underparts and the head, apart from the crown, are white. The bill is bright red. The female and non-breeding male have streaked brown upperparts, whitish underparts with buff flanks, and a buff and black face pattern. They lack the long tail extension, but retain the red bill. Immature birds are like the female but plainer and with a greyish bill.

Distribution and habitat

The pin-tailed whydah occurs in much of sub-Saharan Africa, favouring grassland, scrubs and savannah, also coming into parks and gardens. In Portugal it is established in the region around Aveiro, with observations occurring north and south of it.Viuvinha-bico-de-lacre
– Aves de Portugal It has also been introduced to southern California, Puerto Rico, and Singapore.

Ecology

The species is a

brood parasite Brood parasites are animals that rely on others to raise their young. The strategy appears among birds, insects and fish. The brood parasite manipulates a host, either of the same or of another species, to raise its young as if it were its ow ...

which lays its eggs in the nests 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 ...

es, especially waxbills. Unlike the

common cuckoo The common cuckoo (''Cuculus canorus'') is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals. This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa. It ...

, it does not destroy the host's eggs. Typically, 2–4 eggs are added to those already present. The eggs of both the host and the whydah are white, although the whydah's are slightly larger. The nestling whydahs mimic the

gape The beak, bill, or rostrum is an external anatomical structure found mostly in birds, but also in turtles, non-avian dinosaurs and a few mammals. A beak is used for eating, preening, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, ...

pattern of the fledglings of the host species. The male pin-tailed whydah is territorial, and one male often has several females in his small group. He has an elaborate courtship flight display, which includes hovering over the female to display his tail. The song is given from a high perch, and consists of rapid squeaking and churring. The diet of this species consists of seeds and grain.

Gallery

Vidua macroura -Londolozi Private Game Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa -male-8.jpg, male in breeding plumage

Londolozi Private Game Reserve Londolozi Private Game Reserve is a large game reserve, with 15 000 hectares (150 km2) / 42 000 acres (58 sq mi) of land in South Africa. This means 1 bed per 167 hectares of land. Londolozi Rangers are not bound by Kruger Park rules and can the ...

, South Africa Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) male non-breeding.jpg, male in non-breeding plumage

Lake Bunyonyi Lake Bunyonyi ("Place of many little birds") is in south-western Uganda between Kisoro and Kabale, and it is close to the border with Rwanda. The lake appeared from 2004 to 2009 on the USh note under the title "Lake Bunyonyi and terrace ...

, Uganda Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) female.jpg, female

, Uganda Pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) male and female.jpg, male displaying to female, São Tomé and Príncipe File:Vidua macroura MHNT.Z.2010.11.150.20.jpg, ''Vidua macroura'' in a clutch of ''Lonchura cucullata'' - MHNT

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q908340 pin-tailed whydah Birds of Sub-Saharan Africa Birds of the Gulf of Guinea pin-tailed whydah Taxa named by Peter Simon Pallas