Photo: Derek Keats from South Africa / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Southern Red Bishop
Euplectes orix
Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 23 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 orix
Where it lives
Southern, eastern DR Congo and southwestern Kenya to Mozambique, Angola, western Zambia, northern Botswana, Namibia and South Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Ploceidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Southern Red 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 Southern Red Bishop is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF s, e DR Congo and sw Kenya to Mozambique, Angola, w Zambia, n Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Southern Red Bishop?
The Southern Red Bishop is a small bird that weighs around 23 g.
Where does the Southern Red Bishop live?
The Southern Red Bishop is found across Africa with a range covering AF s, e DR Congo and sw Kenya to Mozambique, Angola, w Zambia, n Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Southern Red Bishop belong to?
The Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Southern Red Bishop eat?
The Southern Red Bishop is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Southern Red Bishop migrate?
The Southern Red Bishop is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Southern Red 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.
What sound does the Southern Red Bishop make?
1 real field recording of the Southern Red Bishop — 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 Southern Red Bishop's range?
The Southern Red Bishop has a mapped global range of about 3 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.
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Guides for this bird
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