Yellow-crowned Bishop

Euplectes afer

Other Names

  Golden Bishop   Euplecte vorabé   Tahaweber   Napoleón Tejedor, Tejedor de Napoleón   Gulkronad eldvävare, Napoleonvävare   Napoleonwever   Vescovo dorato, Napoleone

World: Africa: local though widespread S of 15°N absent only from the dry SW of the continent and also Somalia.

Kenya: Distribution in Western and Central Kenya represents the eastern most limit of its range. Confined primarily to swampy and moist grassland mainly in the Highlands. Wanders elsewhere when the rains provide a suitable habitat.

This is a gregarious, nomadic bird which wanders to breeding areas in response to rainfall. The breeding males are entirely black except for the somewhat fluffy looking yellow crown, back rump, flanks and under tail-coverts. They breed regularly at Lake Baringo and a trip on a boat among the lakeside reed-beds gives an excellent opportunity to see them.