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Photo: Alan Manson / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Dusky Indigobird

Vidua funerea

Dusky Indigobird (Vidua funerea) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.

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The Dusky Indigobird (Vidua funerea) is a member of the Viduidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 14.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Passeriformes
  3. Family Viduidae Indigobirds, Whydahs
  4. Genus Vidua
  5. Species funerea

Where it lives

Western, central, southern

Quick facts

Weight
14.3 g
Family
Viduidae
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Dusky 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 Dusky Indigobird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Dusky Indigobird (Vidua funerea) belongs to the Viduidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c, s.

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 14.3 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 4.3 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 1.4 million km².

Songs & calls

Dusky Indigobird — Song

Recorded by Lynette Rudman Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Dusky Indigobird?

The Dusky Indigobird is a very small bird that weighs around 14.3 g.

Where does the Dusky Indigobird live?

The Dusky Indigobird is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, s, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Dusky Indigobird belong to?

The Dusky Indigobird (Vidua funerea) belongs to the Viduidae family, in the order Passeriformes.

What does the Dusky Indigobird eat?

The Dusky Indigobird is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Does the Dusky Indigobird migrate?

The Dusky Indigobird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Dusky 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 Dusky Indigobird make?

1 real field recording of the Dusky 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 Dusky Indigobird's range?

The Dusky Indigobird has a mapped global range of about 1.4 million km².

Conservation

Least Concern

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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