Village Indigobird

Vidua chalybeata

Bushveld. Three almost identical species when breeding. When breeding, a variation between a whitish bill and reddish leg colours distinguish the species.(1) Red bill red leg; (2) whitish bill white leg; (3) Whiteish bill red leg.

Indigobirds

Not Endemic

Description

Common resident. Male told by red bill and legs; in the female the bill is pink, legs red. In Botswana and western Zimbabwe, the male’s bill is white like [Dusky Indigobird], but ranges do not overlap. It Parasitises the [Red-billed Firefinch] and mimics the call of that species. Occurs in the same habitat as its host: mixed bushveld near watercourses and suburbia.

Quick Facts

Bird Family

Brood parasites of firefinches and, in the case of the Zambezi Indigobird, the Red-throated Twinspot. They appear to be so strictly host-specific that their presence in a region is an indication of the presence of the species they parasitise. Breeding males are black with a blue, green or mauve iridescence. Non-breeding males resemble females. Immatures are more russet-brown, especially on the underparts; crowns unstreaked. Males are identified by bill and leg coloration plus song, which mimics that of the host.