Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-cowled Widowbird
Euplectes laticauda
Red-cowled Widowbird (Euplectes laticauda) — 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 Red-cowled Widowbird (Euplectes laticauda) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 19 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 laticauda
Quick facts
- Weight
- 19 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-cowled Widowbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Red-cowled Widowbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-cowled Widowbird (Euplectes laticauda) is a member of the Ploceidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia to c Kenya and n Tanzania.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 19 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 12.7 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 745,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-cowled Widowbird?
The Red-cowled Widowbird is a small bird that weighs around 19 g.
Where does the Red-cowled Widowbird live?
The Red-cowled Widowbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia to c Kenya and n Tanzania, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-cowled Widowbird belong to?
The Red-cowled Widowbird (Euplectes laticauda) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-cowled Widowbird eat?
The Red-cowled Widowbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-cowled Widowbird migrate?
The Red-cowled Widowbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-cowled Widowbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Red-cowled Widowbird's range?
The Red-cowled Widowbird has a mapped global range of about 745,000 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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