Widowbird red-collared
Rooikeelflap
(Euplectes ardens)
The red-collared widowbird is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. Red-collared widowbirds are found in grasslands and bush clearings in Eastern and Southern Africa. They are known for their long tails and brilliant red badges, both which act as sexual ornaments. They are often associated with other widowbird and bishop species. They are polygynous, where males acquisition of territory is an important determinant in their access to mates. Red-collared widowbirds have a wide range and there is little concern in terms of conservation status.
When Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert first described the red-collared widowbird from a South African specimen in 1783, he named it Fringilla ardens, assigning it to a genus of Old World finches. In 1829, William John Swainson created Euplectes, and moved the widowbirds and bishops from Fringilla into this new genus. Traditionally, Euplectes is thought to contain two clades, with the bishops in one clade and the widowbirds in another. However, molecular evidence suggests that the red-collared widowbird is actually a long-tailed bishop rather than a true widowbird. In captivity, they have been successfully bred with southern red bishop, yellow-mantled widowbird, fan-tailed widowbird, and black-winged red bishop.
There are three recognized subspecies:
1. E. a. ardens
2. E. a. laticauda was first identified by Martin Lichtenstein in 1823
3. E. a. suahelicus was first identified by Victor Gurney Logan Van Someren in 1921.
The latter two taxa were split in 2017 as the red-cowled widowbird (Euplectes laticauda) by del Hoyo and Collar.
Red-collared widowbirds are found throughout Eastern and Southern Africa. While their habitats are varied, they are often found in open grasslands, agricultural areas, clearings in forests, and on slopes with limited tree coverage.
Euplectes ardens ardens are found in South Mali, North Guinea, inland Sierra Leone. North Liberia, North Ivory Coast, Southwest Niger, Central and Southeast Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central and Northeast Angola, Uganda, West Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Northwest and South Mozambique, Swaziland, and East South Africa.
Euplectes ardens laticauda are found in Southeast Sudan. Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
Euplectes ardens suahelicus are found in the highlands of Kenya and Tanzania.
Wikipedia
Widowbird red-collared
Rooikeelflap
(Euplectes ardens)
The red-collared widowbird is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. Red-collared widowbirds are found in grasslands and bush clearings in Eastern and Southern Africa. They are known for their long tails and brilliant red badges, both which act as sexual ornaments. They are often associated with other widowbird and bishop species. They are polygynous, where males acquisition of territory is an important determinant in their access to mates. Red-collared widowbirds have a wide range and there is little concern in terms of conservation status.
When Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert first described the red-collared widowbird from a South African specimen in 1783, he named it Fringilla ardens, assigning it to a genus of Old World finches. In 1829, William John Swainson created Euplectes, and moved the widowbirds and bishops from Fringilla into this new genus. Traditionally, Euplectes is thought to contain two clades, with the bishops in one clade and the widowbirds in another. However, molecular evidence suggests that the red-collared widowbird is actually a long-tailed bishop rather than a true widowbird. In captivity, they have been successfully bred with southern red bishop, yellow-mantled widowbird, fan-tailed widowbird, and black-winged red bishop.
There are three recognized subspecies:
1. E. a. ardens
2. E. a. laticauda was first identified by Martin Lichtenstein in 1823
3. E. a. suahelicus was first identified by Victor Gurney Logan Van Someren in 1921.
The latter two taxa were split in 2017 as the red-cowled widowbird (Euplectes laticauda) by del Hoyo and Collar.
Red-collared widowbirds are found throughout Eastern and Southern Africa. While their habitats are varied, they are often found in open grasslands, agricultural areas, clearings in forests, and on slopes with limited tree coverage.
Euplectes ardens ardens are found in South Mali, North Guinea, inland Sierra Leone. North Liberia, North Ivory Coast, Southwest Niger, Central and Southeast Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central and Northeast Angola, Uganda, West Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Northwest and South Mozambique, Swaziland, and East South Africa.
Euplectes ardens laticauda are found in Southeast Sudan. Ethiopia, and Eritrea.
Euplectes ardens suahelicus are found in the highlands of Kenya and Tanzania.
Wikipedia