Shaft-tailed Whydah
Vidua regia
The Shaft-tailed Whydah (Vidua regia) is a rare whydahs and indigobird found in 7 countries, weighing about 14 g. The shaft-tailed whydah or queen whydah is a small, sparrow-like bird in the genus Vidua.
About the Shaft-tailed Whydah
The shaft-tailed whydah or queen whydah 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.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, October, November, December, with peak activity in March. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- What does a Shaft-tailed Whydah look like?
- The shaft-tailed whydah or queen whydah is a small, sparrow-like bird in the genus Vidua.
- How big is a Shaft-tailed Whydah?
- The Shaft-tailed Whydah is a tiny sized bird weighing about 14 g.
- Where can you see a Shaft-tailed Whydah?
- The Shaft-tailed Whydah occurs in 7 countries, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
- What birds look similar to a Shaft-tailed Whydah?
- The Shaft-tailed Whydah is most easily confused with the Dusky Indigobird, the Purple Indigobird and the Long-tailed Paradise Whydah.
- Is the Shaft-tailed Whydah endangered?
- The Shaft-tailed Whydah is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Shaft-tailed Whydah for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.