Animalia Life
Euplectes orix
SUBFAMILY
Ploceinae
TAXONOMY
Loxia orix Linnaeus, 1758, Angola.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Red bishop-bird, Grenadier weaver; French: Euplecte
ignicolore; German: Oryxweber; Spanish: Obispo Rojo.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5.1 in (13 cm); female 0.6–0.9 oz (17–26 g), male 0.7–1.0 oz
(21–30 g). Breeding male has red and black plumage, with
brown wings and tail. Bill black. Female and non-breeding
male sparrowy brown, pale underparts with some streaking.
Bill brown. Juvenile like female, buffy edges to feathers before
first molt. Males first molt into breeding plumage in second
year.
DISTRIBUTION
Southern Kenya and Uganda south to southern tip of South
Africa.
HABITAT
Tall grassland and cultivation, usually near water.
BEHAVIOR
Gregarious throughout the year, forming large flocks which
feed and roost in association with other seed-eaters. Males return
to same breeding localities, often to same territory, in
successive years; return rate of females much lower. Both sexes
may live more than 10 years in the wild.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Mainly seed-eating, also takes many insects, particularly when
feeding young.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Colonial and polygynous, often hundreds of males holding territories
in a single reed-bed. Male builds a series of nests, oval
upright structures with side entrances, typically supported by
vertical vegetation. Female lines nest once mated and ready to
lay. Old nests not demolished. In courtship male fluffs out
plumage, resembling black and red bumble-bee, making short
flights towards female. May have up to seven females on territory
simultaneously. Breeding season dependent on rainfall; in
winter rainfall region of South Africa, starts in winter, ends in
early summer. Elsewhere during rainy season, usually summer.
Lays one to five eggs (generally three). Incubation 12–13 days,
fledging 11–15 days. Female alone incubates and feeds young.
Nests often subject to heavy predation, and parasitized by
Diederik cuckoo.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened; abundant in many areas, benefits from farming
activities and building of dams, which provide additional
breeding sites.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Locally an important pest of grain crops; in wheatlands of Western
Cape, South Africa, large numbers are killed annually.
Photo Gallery of - Southern red bishop
