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Straw-tailed Whydah

Straw-tailed Whydah

Vidua fischeri

Photo © Thibaud Aronson

Photo © Thibaud Aronson — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: iNaturalist photo #261372705

ABOUT

The straw-tailed whydah (Vidua fischeri) is a species of bird in the family Viduidae. It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is dry savanna. Like all other whydah species, the straw-tailed whydah is a brood parasite.

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Amboseli National Park

Etonet/Lenkism ward·Kenya

+501 birds+43 mammals

Arusha National Park

+555 birds+16 mammals

Awash National Park

Didiga·Ethiopia

+473 birds+23 mammals

Kidepo Valley National Park

+478 birds+24 mammals

Lake Manyara National Park

+575 birds+37 mammals

Lake Nakuru National Park

Nakuru West·Kenya

+494 birds+32 mammals

Meru National Park

Igembe Central·Kenya

+408 birds+38 mammals

Mkomazi National Park

Gonja·Tanzania

+430 birds+38 mammals

Nairobi National Park

+515 birds+35 mammals

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Where to see & photograph the Straw-tailed Whydah (8 more) →

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Biological profile

Straw-tailed Whydah

A compact view of how this species lives, moves and responds to its environment.

The species at a glance

Select a card to explore the details.

Movement

Does it remain in the same area?: It generally remains in the same region
How does it move?: Local Ranging
Can its movements be anticipated?: Yes, its movements tend to repeat
Do its movements change with the seasons?: No, they are not tied to one season
Do all populations follow the same calendar?: Yes, broadly speaking

Activity

When is it active?: Mainly active by day
Does it have inactive periods?: No known inactive period

How to detect it

Is it easy to find?: It takes some patience
How can you detect it?: AcousticVisual
Does it tend to hide?: It hides in some situations
Do you need a specific technique?: Usually not
Which seasonal signs help?: Vocal Display

Habitat

Which environment does it live in?: Terrestrial
Which places does it prefer?: GrasslandShrubland
Can it adapt to different habitats?: It tolerates some variety of habitats
At what level of the habitat does it move?: GroundUnderstory

Feeding

What kind of food does it eat?: Granivore
How does it get its food?: Ground Foraging

Social life

Does it usually live alone or in a group?: It usually lives alone
Does it gather at certain times?: It does not usually gather seasonally

Reproduction

How does it breed?: Dispersed
Where does it breed?: GroundShrub

Spatial ecology

Does it defend a territory?: Seasonal
How far does it usually travel?: Within a local area
In which major regions does it live?: Afrotropical

Environmental response

Does its calendar change from place to place?: It changes little between places

Sensitivity

Is it affected by human disturbance?: Observe it calmly and keep your distance
When does it need the most space?: Nest

Global profile. Local behaviour and timing may vary.

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