Photo: Nigel Voaden from UK / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Yellow-mantled Widowbird
Euplectes macroura
Yellow-mantled Widowbird (Euplectes macroura) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird (Euplectes macroura) is a member of the Ploceidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 21.7 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 macroura
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21.7 g
- Diet
- Seed-eaters
- 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 Yellow-mantled Widowbird is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird (Euplectes macroura) is a member of the Ploceidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w, c, e, se.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.7 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 9.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Yellow-mantled Widowbird?
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird is a small bird that weighs around 21.7 g.
Where does the Yellow-mantled Widowbird live?
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird is found across Africa with a range covering AF w, c, e, se, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Yellow-mantled Widowbird belong to?
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird (Euplectes macroura) belongs to the Ploceidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Yellow-mantled Widowbird eat?
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.
Does the Yellow-mantled Widowbird migrate?
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Yellow-mantled 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 Yellow-mantled Widowbird make?
1 real field recording of the Yellow-mantled Widowbird — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Yellow-mantled Widowbird's range?
The Yellow-mantled Widowbird has a mapped global range of about 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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