Firewida
| Firewida | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Feuerwida ( Euplectes franciscanus ), male |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Euplectes franciscanus | ||||||||||||
| ( Isert , 1789) |
The Northern Red Bishop ( Euplectes franciscanus ), even fire Weber called, is a bird art of the genus of the fire Weber ( Euplectes ) from the family of weaver birds (Ploceidae).
description
The Feuerwida reaches a body length of 11-12 centimeters. The male has a spectacular red-black courtship plumage, the head is black, as is the belly. The chest, back and the upper part of the underside of the tail are red. Outside the breeding season, the plumage resembles that of the female. The feathers at the tail end are brown on the underside and the wing tips are brown on the top. The legs are yellowish. The females have an inconspicuous brown-gray striped plumage on the upper side. The area around the eyes has a yellow and white stripe at the top and white at the bottom. The chest and belly are striped yellow to whitish and slightly dark.
distribution
Outside the breeding season, the Feuerwida lives in large schools. Its distribution area extends from Senegal to Ethiopia and Kenya. He lives in the savannah areas.
Way of life
This species of bird usually hides in the tall grass. Her food is grass seeds, grains and, in some seasons, insects.
Reproduction
The male usually builds several nests in order to attract several females in this way. Feuerwidas breed in small colonies, with each male defending his territory against male conspecifics. The spherical nest consists of long intertwined blades of grass and is attached to reeds or shrubs. The female takes care of the interior work alone. The clutch consists of 2–4 light blue eggs. The female also takes on the breeding business alone. The young hatch after 12-14 days and are only cared for by the female. First of all, insects serve as food for the young, followed by plant seeds. When the young have left the nest, they form smaller groups and move - sometimes up to several hundred kilometers - through the country.
Hazards and protective measures
Since this species is still relatively common and no threats are known, it is classified by the IUCN as ( Least Concern ) not endangered.
literature
- Horst Bielfeld : Knowing and caring for 300 ornamental birds. Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-8001-5737-2 .
- Jiří Felix (eds.), Jaromír Knotek, Libuše Knotková: African fauna in color. Translated from the Czech by Roland Schür. Karl Müller Verlag, Erlangen 1989, p. 77.
Web links
- Euplectes franciscanus onthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2013.