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Why is it called a whydah?

Why is it called a whydah?

They belong to two subfamilies, Viduinae and Ploceinae, of the family Ploceidae (order Passeriformes). The name is associated with Whydah (Ouidah), a town in Benin where the birds are common.

Why is the Widowbird called that?

The long-tailed widowbird is now one of 17 species placed in the genus Euplectes that was introduced by the English naturalist William John Swainson in 1829. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek eu “fine” or “good” and the New Latin plectes “weaver”. The specific progne is Latin for a “swallow.

Are Pin-tailed Whydah rare?

The pin-tailed whydah is one out of only about 100 parasites of the 10,000 bird species in the world.

What does a whydah eat?

BEHAVIOUR: Pin-tailed Whydah feeds mainly on seeds and insects. They forage is small groups with one long-tailed male and several females, and non-breeding youngs. This bird forages on the ground by moving jerkily backwards on tarsi, and pecking quickly at disturbed ground.

What does a Pin-tailed Whydah eat?

The Pin-tailed Whydah feeds mainly on seeds, with flying termites making up a small part of their diet.

What does Pin-tailed Whydah eat?

seeds
The Pin-tailed Whydah feeds mainly on seeds, with flying termites making up a small part of their diet.

Which is the tailed bird?

Blue Peafowl Indian peafowl is the national bird of India and one of the most beautiful bird in the world. The large,long tail and brightly coloured bird found mainly on the ground,open forest or near land under cultivation and around the Indian villages of Rajasthan.

What does a Whydah look like?

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.

Is the Pin-tailed Whydah a finch?

The Pin-tailed Whydah is a beautiful finch with a stubby bill. The male has distinctive breeding plumage, principally clad in black and white with a bright red bill and long tail plumes.

How do you breed Pin-tailed Whydah?

Whydahs do not form monogamous pairs; rather, a male whydah will breed with numerous females, and a female whydah will go on to breed with numerous males in order to spread her eggs over multiple territories. During breeding season, males maintain a territory a little larger than a half-football field in size.

Do Pin-tailed Whydah migrate?

Even though a large number of bird species migrate north in our winter we are still left with a number of beautiful birds that reside here all year round. As winter approaches however, birds like the Pin-Tailed Whydah will lose their bright colours and long tail streamers as they moult into their non-breeding plumage.

How long does a Pin-tailed Whydah live for?

Ringed individuals have lived for at least 5·5 years.

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