Photo: Alan Manson / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple Indigobird
Vidua purpurascens
Purple Indigobird (Vidua purpurascens) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purple Indigobird (Vidua purpurascens) is a member of the Viduidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 13.1 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 Viduidae Indigobirds, Whydahs
- Genus Vidua
- Species purpurascens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 13.1 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Viduidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple Indigobird is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Purple Indigobird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple Indigobird (Vidua purpurascens) is a species of bird in the Viduidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Kenya to Angola, Botswana and ne South Africa.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 13.1 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 4.2 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 996,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple Indigobird?
The Purple Indigobird is a very small bird that weighs around 13.1 g.
Where does the Purple Indigobird live?
The Purple Indigobird is found across Africa with a range covering AF Kenya to Angola, Botswana and ne South Africa, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Purple Indigobird belong to?
The Purple Indigobird (Vidua purpurascens) belongs to the Viduidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Purple Indigobird eat?
The Purple Indigobird is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Purple Indigobird migrate?
The Purple Indigobird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple Indigobird 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 Purple Indigobird make?
1 real field recording of the Purple Indigobird — 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 Purple Indigobird's range?
The Purple Indigobird has a mapped global range of about 996,000 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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