Eastern Paradise-Whydah
Vidua paradisaea
- Least concern
- Card rarity: Common
- Birds
The long-tailed paradise whydah or eastern paradise whydah is a bird in the family Viduidae of the order Passeriformes. It is a small passerine with a short, stubby bill, found across eastern and southern Africa from Ethiopia south to South Africa and west to Angola. It is mostly granivorous, and feed on seeds that have ripened and fallen on the ground. The ability to distinguish between males and females is quite difficult unless it is breeding season. During this time, the males moult into breeding plumage where they have a distinctive long tail. This can be up to three times longer than its own body or even more. Males are able to mimic songs where females can use that to discover their mate. However, there are some cases where females don't use songs to choose their mate but they use either male characteristics like plumage or they can have a shortage of options with song mimicry.
Classification
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Viduidae
- Genus
- Vidua