Photo: Aviceda / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Bishop
Euplectes gierowii
Black Bishop (Euplectes gierowii) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Bishop (Euplectes gierowii) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 28.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Ploceidae Weavers, Widowbirds
- Genus Euplectes
- Species gierowii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 28.3 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Bishop is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black Bishop is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Bishop (Euplectes gierowii) is a member of the Ploceidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF ec, e, se.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 28.3 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 5.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 247,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Bishop?
The Black Bishop is a small bird that weighs around 28.3 g.
Where does the Black Bishop live?
The Black Bishop is found across Africa with a range covering AF ec, e, se, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black Bishop belong to?
The Black Bishop (Euplectes gierowii) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black Bishop eat?
The Black Bishop is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Black Bishop migrate?
The Black Bishop is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black Bishop endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black Bishop make?
1 real field recording of the Black Bishop — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black Bishop's range?
The Black Bishop has a mapped global range of about 247,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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