Sahel Paradise Whydah

The Sahel paradise whydah, or northern paradise whydah (Vidua orientalis) is a small songbird in the passerine family Viduidae. == Taxonomy == Vidua orientalis has in the past sometimes been considered a subspecies of eastern paradise whydah, Vidua paradisea, since both birds parasitise the green-winged pytilia Pytilia melba, a common species of waxbill. However, the pytilia has two subspecies, nominate P. m. melba and P. m. citerior, which are sometimes treated as separate species; the ranges of these two subspecies correspond well to those of V. paradisea and V. orientalis, respectively. == Subspecies == Two subspecies are accepted: Vidua orientalis orientalis, occurring from northern Cameroon to southern Chad, northwestern Ethiopia, and Eritrea. Vidua orientalis aucupum, occurring from southern Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia to northwestern Nigeria. == Distribution and habitat == Vidua orientalis is a resident breeding bird in the Sahel region of north tropical Africa. It lives in open acacia savannah with scattered trees. == Description == The females are 13–14 cm (5.1–5.5 in) long, tawny above with narrow mantle streaking; in females a dark line extends behind the eye. When in non-breeding plumage, the males are similar to the females; juveniles are also similar to adult females. The males…