List of Southern African Birds - Whydahs and Indigobirds

Whydahs and Indigobirds

The Indigobirds and whydahs, are small passerine birds native to Africa. These are finch-like species which usually have black or indigo predominating in their plumage. The birds named as "whydahs" have long or very long tails. All of the species are brood parasites, which lay their eggs in the nests of estrildid finch species; most indigobirds use fire-finches as hosts, whereas the paradise whydahs chose pytilias. There are 19 species worldwide, eight in Southern Africa.

• Pin-tailed Whydah Vidua macroura
• Broad-tailed Paradise-Whydah Vidua obtusa
• Long-tailed Paradise-Whydah Vidua paradisaea
• Shaft-tailed Whydah Vidua regia
• Village Indigobird Vidua chalybeata
• Dusky Indigobird Vidua funerea
• Purple Indigobird Vidua purpurascens
• Twinspot Indigobird Vidua codringtoni