Photo: iNaturalist user: thibaudaronson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Golden-backed Bishop
Euplectes aureus
Golden-backed Bishop (Euplectes aureus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Golden-backed Bishop (Euplectes aureus) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 25 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 aureus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 25 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Golden-backed 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 Golden-backed Bishop is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Golden-backed Bishop (Euplectes aureus) belongs to the Ploceidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Angola and São Tomé (sc Gulf of Guinea Is.).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 25 g, with a wing length of about 6.8 cm and a tail of around 4 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 43,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Golden-backed Bishop?
The Golden-backed Bishop is a small bird that weighs around 25 g.
Where does the Golden-backed Bishop live?
The Golden-backed Bishop is found across Africa with a range covering AF Angola and São Tomé (sc Gulf of Guinea Is.), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Golden-backed Bishop belong to?
The Golden-backed Bishop (Euplectes aureus) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Golden-backed Bishop eat?
The Golden-backed Bishop is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Golden-backed Bishop migrate?
The Golden-backed Bishop is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Golden-backed 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.
How large is the Golden-backed Bishop's range?
The Golden-backed Bishop has a mapped global range of about 43,000 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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