A photo of a Pin-tailed Whydah (Vidua macroura), male
Pin-tailed Whydah, Male

Pin-tailed Whydah

Vidua macroura

The pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) is a small songbird with a conspicuous pennant-like tail in breeding males. It is a resident breeding bird in most of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. The pin-tailed whydah is 12–13 cm in length, although the breeding male's tail adds another 20 cm to this. The adult male has a black back and crown, and a very long black tail. The wings are dark brown with white patches, and the underparts and the head, apart from the crown, are white. The bill is bright red. The female and non-breeding male have streaked brown upperparts, whitish underparts with buff flanks, and a buff and black face pattern. They lack the long tail extension, but retain the red bill. Immature birds are like the female but plainer and with a greyish bill.
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Pin-tailed Whydahs on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A photo of a Pin-tailed Whydah photographed in Tzaneen Country Lodge South Africa
🦉
Sandy Van Zyl
Saturday 18 Mar 2023 - 3:43pm
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Shane Bryant
Saturday 18 Mar 2023 - 9:40am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🐧
Jillian Bryant
Saturday 18 Mar 2023 - 9:36am
South Africa
A map showing the sighting location
🦉
Gert Coetzer
Tuesday 14 Mar 2023 - 3:56pm
South Africa
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