Photo: Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-collared Widowbird
Euplectes ardens
Red-collared Widowbird (Euplectes ardens) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 9 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-collared Widowbird (Euplectes ardens) 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 ardens
Where it lives
Sierra Leone to Uganda, southwestern Sudan, northwestern, southern Tanzania south to eastern South Africa
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-collared 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-collared Widowbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-collared Widowbird (Euplectes ardens) is a member of the Ploceidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Sierra Leone to Uganda, sw Sudan, nw, s Tanzania s to e South Africa.
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 3.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-collared Widowbird?
The Red-collared Widowbird is a small bird that weighs around 19 g.
Where does the Red-collared Widowbird live?
The Red-collared Widowbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF Sierra Leone to Uganda, sw Sudan, nw, s Tanzania s to e South Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Red-collared Widowbird belong to?
The Red-collared Widowbird (Euplectes ardens) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-collared Widowbird eat?
The Red-collared Widowbird is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-collared Widowbird migrate?
The Red-collared Widowbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-collared 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.
What sound does the Red-collared Widowbird make?
1 real field recording of the Red-collared Widowbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-collared Widowbird's range?
The Red-collared Widowbird has a mapped global range of about 3.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Ploceidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.