Photo: KrisMaes / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Straw-tailed Whydah
Vidua fischeri
Straw-tailed Whydah (Vidua fischeri) — 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 Straw-tailed Whydah (Vidua fischeri) is a member of the Viduidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 12.2 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 fischeri
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.2 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- Family
- Viduidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Straw-tailed 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 Straw-tailed Whydah is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Straw-tailed Whydah (Vidua fischeri) belongs to the Viduidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia to Tanzania.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.2 g, with a wing length of about 6.7 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 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Straw-tailed Whydah?
The Straw-tailed Whydah is a very small bird that weighs around 12.2 g.
Where does the Straw-tailed Whydah live?
The Straw-tailed Whydah is found across Africa with a range covering AF South Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia to Tanzania, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Straw-tailed Whydah belong to?
The Straw-tailed Whydah (Vidua fischeri) belongs to the Viduidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Straw-tailed Whydah eat?
The Straw-tailed Whydah is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Straw-tailed Whydah migrate?
The Straw-tailed Whydah is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Straw-tailed 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.
What sound does the Straw-tailed Whydah make?
1 real field recording of the Straw-tailed Whydah — 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 Straw-tailed Whydah's range?
The Straw-tailed Whydah has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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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