Photo: Demetrius John Kessy from Arusha, Tanzania / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Steel-blue Whydah
Vidua hypocherina
Steel-blue Whydah (Vidua hypocherina) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Steel-blue Whydah (Vidua hypocherina) is a member of the Viduidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 11.9 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 hypocherina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.9 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Viduidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Steel-blue Whydah is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Steel-blue Whydah is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Steel-blue Whydah (Vidua hypocherina) belongs to the Viduidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Ethiopia and Somalia to Tanzania.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.9 g, with a wing length of about 6.5 cm and a tail of around 4.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 782,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Steel-blue Whydah?
The Steel-blue Whydah is a very small bird that weighs around 11.9 g.
Where does the Steel-blue Whydah live?
The Steel-blue Whydah is found across Africa with a range covering AF Ethiopia and Somalia to Tanzania, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Steel-blue Whydah belong to?
The Steel-blue Whydah (Vidua hypocherina) belongs to the Viduidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Steel-blue Whydah eat?
The Steel-blue Whydah is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Steel-blue Whydah migrate?
The Steel-blue Whydah is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Steel-blue Whydah 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 Steel-blue Whydah's range?
The Steel-blue Whydah has a mapped global range of about 782,000 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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