Long-tailed Widowbird

Common resident. Breeding males easily recognisable when displaying over Highveld grasslands in summer. Male has longer and fuller tail than [Red-collared Widowbird]. Red shoulder-patch, whitish wing-edges and pale bill good field features. Non-breeding and transitional breeding males exhibit varying stages of buffy brown with black streaking on the upper body, no long breeding tail but my show various stages of emergent tail. All stages retain same red shoulder-patch on the wing. Much larger than female and all other widowbirds. Female and immature normally seen in a flocks with male. Normal call is a repeated ‘chip… chip… chip…’; breeding male utters a subdued, swizzling song. A grassland species, especially in vleis and valleys with rich growth. When breeding (summer), males perch prominently on a tall weed near the nest, or patrol the territory in low flight, wings flapping slowly and deliberately. Joins mixed flocks when not breeding.