Yellow-mantled Widowbird

Euplectes macrourus

Other Names

  Yellow-backed Widow, Yellow-shouldered Widowbird   Euplecte à dos d'or   Gelbschulterwida   Falsa viuda dorsigualda   Gulmantlad vidafink   Geelrugwidavink   Vedova schiena d'Oro

World: Africa from Senegal and Gambia E to Ethiopia and then S as far as Angola to Zimbabwe.

Kenya: The distribution in Kenya represents the eastern-most limit of their world distribution. They are limited to, though locally common in, open moist grassland to the W of the Rift Valley.

There are 2 subspecies found in Kenya. Pictured above is the breeding male of the nominate race which shows the yellow forming a complete yellow "mantle" across its back. The other ssp is macrocercus (found at lower altitudes) in which the yellow is confined to the shoulders. The 2 ssps also differ slightly in their habits; while both are essentially solitary while breeding, macrourus forms into largish flocks after nesting, this behaviour hasn't been observed in macrocercus. This individual was photographed in the Mara GR in January 2001.