Euplectes

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Euplectes
The birds of Africa, comprising all the species which occur in the Ethiopian region (1896) (14732608146), white background.jpg
Euplectes afer ladoensis (above)

E. macrourus macrocercus (below)

Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Ploceidae
Genus: Euplectes
Swainson, 1829
Type species
Loxia orix
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

See text

Euplectes is a genus of passerine bird in the weaver family, Ploceidae, that contains the bishops and widowbirds. They are all native to Africa south of the Sahara. It is believed that all birds in the genus are probably polygynous. [1]

Contents

The genus Euplectes was introduced by the English naturalist William John Swainson in 1829 with the southern red bishop as the type species. [2] [3] The name combines the Ancient Greek eu meaning "fine" or "good" with the Neo-Latin plectes meaning "weaver". [4] When choosing their mates, females within this genus will often choose males with longer tail lengths, even in species with comparatively shorter tail lengths. [5]

Species

The genus contains 18 species. [6]

ImageScientific nameCommon NameDistribution
Euplectes afer by Mike's Birds.jpg Euplectes afer Yellow-crowned bishop Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
Euplectes diadematus Fire-fronted bishop Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania
Euplectes aureus cropped.jpg Euplectes aureus Golden-backed bishop western Angola and São Tomé Island
Black bishop bigodi dec05.jpg Euplectes gierowii Black bishop Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda
Bishop, Zanzibar BW.jpg Euplectes nigroventris Zanzibar red bishop Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania
Black-winged Bishop, Sakania, DR Congo (5891715708).jpg Euplectes hordeaceus Black-winged red bishop Senegal to Sudan and south to Angola, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Mozambique
Euplectes orix - Tiergarten Schonbrunn 5.jpg Euplectes orix Southern red bishop or red bishop,north to Angola, southern and eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo,northern Zambia southern Uganda north-east Nigeria and south-west Kenya
Orange Bishop 001.jpg Euplectes franciscanus Northern red bishop or orange bishop,Africa south of the Sahara Desert and north of the Equator
Yellow Bishop - Kenya S4E8557 (22662474520).jpg Euplectes capensis Yellow bishop Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Euplectes axillaris, Linunga, Birding Weto, a.jpg Euplectes axillaris Fan-tailed widowbird Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, DRC, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Ndassima, CAR (5958116143).jpg Euplectes macroura Yellow-mantled widowbird Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Euplectes hartlaubi, Cuito-rivier, Birding Weto, a.jpg Euplectes hartlaubi Marsh widowbird Angola, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Moutain Marsh Widowbird flying.jpg Euplectes psammacromius Montane widowbird northeast Zambia, northern Malawi and the highlands of southwestern Tanzania
Spiegelwida.jpg Euplectes albonotatus White-winged widowbird Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, São Tomé, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
Red-collared Widowbird, Sakania, DR Congo (7147889925).jpg Euplectes ardens Red-collared widowbird Guinea, inland Sierra Leone, north Liberia, north Ivory Coast, southwest Niger, central and southeast Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, central and northeast Angola, Uganda, West Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, northwest and south Mozambique, Eswatini and east South Africa
Red-cowled Widowbird - Ngorongoro - Tanzania (22861670271).jpg Euplectes laticauda Red-cowled widowbird Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya and north Tanzania
Euplectes progne male South Africa cropped.jpg Euplectes progne Long-tailed widowbird Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, and Zambia
Jackson's Widowbird - Ngorongoro - Tanzania 0305 (22432180578).jpg Euplectes jacksoni Jackson's widowbird Kenya and Tanzania

Aviculture

The yellow-crowned bishop and northern red bishop are popular in aviculture.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern red bishop</span> Species of bird

The northern red bishop or orange bishop is a small passerine bird in the family Ploceidae. It is part of the largest genus in the family with over 60 different species. Its sister species is the Southern red bishop. This species is most recognizable by the bright reddish orange with contrasting black plumage displayed by the breeding male. It is most common throughout the northern African continent but has also been introduced to areas in the western hemisphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diederik cuckoo</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow bishop</span> Species of bird

The yellow bishop, also known as Cape bishop, Cape widow or yellow-rumped widow, is a resident breeding bird species in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

<i>Phyllastrephus</i> Genus of birds

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-green fruit dove</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-collared widowbird</span> Species of bird

The red-collared widowbird is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. Red-collared widowbirds are found in grasslands and bush clearings in western and southern Africa. They are known for their long tails and brilliant red badges, both of 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden-backed bishop</span> Species of bird

The golden-backed bishop is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. It is found in western Angola and São Tomé Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-mantled widowbird</span> Species of bird

The yellow-mantled widowbird, also known as the yellow-backed widow, is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-tailed widowbird</span> Species of bird

The long-tailed widowbird is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae. The species are found in Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia. The long-tailed widowbird is a medium-sized bird and one of the most common in the territories it inhabits. Adult breeding males are almost entirely black with orange and white shoulders (epaulets), long, wide tails, and a bluish white bill. Females are rather inconspicuous, their feathers streaked tawny and black with pale patches on the chest, breast and back, narrow tail feathers, and horn-colored bills.

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<i>Phoenicircus</i> Genus of birds

Phoenicircus is a genus of birds in the family Cotingidae. They have a bright red breast, crown, tail, and rump with the Guianan species having dark brown wings and the black-necked species having black wings. They are frugivores, eating primarily berries and drupes.

<i>Pytilia</i> Genus of birds

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parrotfinch</span> Genus of birds

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern red bishop</span> Species of bird

The southern red bishop or red bishop is a small passerine bird belonging to the bishop and widowbird genus Euplectes in the weaver family, the Ploceidae. It is common in wetlands and grassland in Africa south of the Equator. North of the Equator, it is replaced by the northern red bishop or orange bishop which was formerly regarded as a subspecies of this species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black bishop</span> Species of bird

The black bishop is a species of passerine bird in the family Ploceidae native to Africa south of the Sahara. Three subspecies are recognised.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-crowned bishop</span> Species of bird

The yellow-crowned bishop is a species of passerine bird in the family Ploceidae native to Africa south of the Sahara. It is highly sexually dimorphic in its breeding season, during which the male adopts a distinctive yellow and black plumage, contrasting with the female's predominantly brown coloration. Four subspecies are recognised.

<i>Lyrurus</i> Genus of birds

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olive-naped weaver</span> Species of bird

The olive-naped weaver is a bird species in the family Ploceidae. It is found in West Africa from Senegal and Gambia to Cameroon.

References

  1. ↑ Craig, Adrian J. F. K. (1980). "Behaviour and evolution in the genus Euplectes". Journal of Ornithology. 121 (2): 144–161. Bibcode:1980JOrni.121..144C. doi:10.1007/BF01642928. S2CID   34686786.
  2. ↑ Swainson, William John (1829). Zoological illustrations, or, Original figures and descriptions of new, rare, or interesting animals. 2nd series. Vol. 1. London: Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy; and W. Wood. Plate 37 text.
  3. ↑ Mayr, Ernst; Greenway, James C. Jr, eds. (1962). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 15. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Museum of Comparative Zoology. p. 64.
  4. ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p.  153. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  5. ↑ Pryke, Sarah; Andersson, Staffan (August 8, 2008). "Female preferences for long tails constrained by species recognition in short-tailed red bishops". Behavioral Ecology. 19 (6): 1116–1121. doi: 10.1093/beheco/arn100 .
  6. ↑ Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2023). "Old World sparrows, snowfinches, weavers". IOC World Bird List Version 13.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 7 February 2023.


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