White-winged Widowbird Euplectes albonotatus

Identification. The White-winged Widowbird is a small widowbird with a fan-shaped tail. The male in breeding plumage is black with a white wing-patch and wing edgings, and white underwing; in southern African birds the epaulet (shoulder patch) is yellow (above), while in East African birds it is cinnamon-rufous. Females (above) and non-breeding birds may be identified in flight by the longish tail, white and yellow/rufous wing patches, and white underwing.

Distribution. The White-winged Widowbird is common in East and south-east Africa (see map below), based on Birds of Africa).  Three subspecies are currently recognised:

E. a. albonotatus in eastern South Africa, north-east Botswana and Namibia, to southern Tanzania (intergrading with eques around Iringa and Dodoma) (see red on map above).

E. a. asymmetrurus found patchily from western Angola to western Gabon, and Sao Tome (see blue on map). The tail of breeding males is much larger in this subspecies.

E. a. eques from southern Tanzania to southern Sudan and Ethiopia with isolated populations in western Sudan and Central African Republic (see green on map). Breeding males have cinnamon-brown (not yellow) epaulets, and females and sub-adult males have the lesser coverts edged with cinnamon.

The White-winged Widowbird established a breeding population from escapees in the Sydney area in Australia, but apparently was extinct there by 1976.

This species has shown a substantial range expansion in the Free State Province of South Africa since the 1990s. Ornithologists in the Free State attribute this to increased rainfall (see maps and report here).

Habitat. The White-winged Widowbird occurs in tall bushed grassland, generally below 2000m.

Food. The White-winged Widowbird feeds on grass seeds, nectar of Aloe marlothii, and insects, including termite alates. It feeds on millet in some areas and is sometimes a minor pest. The White-winged Widowbird catches termites on the ground or hawks them in the air, returning to a perch to eat them.

Breeding. This species is polygynous, with up to 4 females per male. The nest is oval with a large side entrance. The male builds the nest frame of dry and semi-green grass, supported by upright grass stems. The female adds a stouter weaving of finer dry grass, usually Sporobolus, inside the frame. Some nests have a small porch of projecting grassheads. Nests are usually sited below 1.5 m.

Eggs may be laid before the nest is lined. Only the female incubates and feeds the nestlings, mainly by regurgitation.

Nests are sometimes parasitized by the Diederik Cuckoo. Old nests may be used by Orange-breasted (Zebra) Waxbills.

Breeding season
Sept-Oct in Sudan, Jun in Ethiopia; Feb-Apr in Rwanda and S DRCongo; peak Mar-Jun and recorded also Sept and Dec-Feb in Kenya; Dec-Mar in Tanzania; Apr on Sao Tome, Jan-Apr in Angola, Zambia and Malawi, Dec-Feb in Botswana, Dec-Apr in Zimbabwe, Feb-Mar in Mozambique and Oct-Apr in South Africa

Nest site
supported by vertical grass stems

Nest building
male weaves framework

Colony size
Male defends territory of 600-1900 m2 against conspecifics

Clutch size
2-4 eggs (mean 2.6 in Zimbabwe)

Egg colour
pale greenish-blue, densely speckled with olive-green

Egg size
average size of 49 eggs 18.5 x 13.6 mm (South Africa)

Incubation
incubation by female only, period 12-15 days

Chicks and nestling period
chicks fed by female, primarily by regurgitation, nestling period 11-14 days; young independent at 36 days