Shaft-tailed Whydah
A species of Indigobirds and whydahs Scientific name : Vidua regia Genus : Indigobirds and whydahs
Shaft-tailed Whydah, A species of Indigobirds and whydahs
Botanical name: Vidua regia
Genus: Indigobirds and whydahs
Content
Description General Info
Photo By Alandmanson , used under CC-BY-SA-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
The shaft-tailed whydah or queen whydah (Vidua regia) is a small, sparrow-like bird in the genus Vidua. During the breeding season the male has black crown and upper body plumage, golden breast and four elongated black tail shaft feathers with expanded tips. After the breeding season is over, the male sheds its long tail and grows olive brown female-like plumage. The shaft-tailed whydah is distributed in open habitats and grasslands of Southern Africa, from south Angola to south Mozambique. It is a brood parasite to the violet-eared waxbill. The diet consists mainly of seeds. Widespread and a common species throughout its large habitat range, the shaft-tailed whydah is evaluated as least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 
Size
11 cm
Feeding Habits
Shaft-tailed Whydah primarily consumes small grass seeds using 'double-scratching' to forage. Females may eat host eggs during breeding. They feed individually or in flocks and drink from open water sources.
Habitat
The shaft-tailed Whydah predominantly inhabits semi-arid grasslands and savanna regions characterized by thorny vegetation and acacia woodlands. It favors environments such as umbrella thorn and camel thorn woodlands on sandy soils and is often found in fallow agricultural lands with prevalent sickle-bush. These areas typically receive an annual rainfall of more than 150 mm. The shaft-tailed Whydah is notably absent from dense woodlands and forest thickets, even in areas inhabited by its host species, the Violet-eared Waxbill.
Dite type
Granivorous
General Info
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Perching birds Family
Indigobirds and whydahs Genus
Indigobirds and whydahs Species
Shaft-tailed Whydah 
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