Southern Red Bishop

Afrikaans name: Rooivink

Male Red Bishop

Photo © Steven Herbert

Euplectes orix

During the breeding season the male Southern Red Bishop is one of the regions most stunning looking birds.

Red Bishops are a common sight in reedbeds during summer. Males can be seen perched on reeds, building nests or chasing females.

Female Red Bishops, and non-breeding males, are drab and inconspicuous birds.

They feed on seeds and insects and can sometimes be seen at bird-feeders in residential areas.

Male Red Bishop perched on a reed

Photo © Steven Herbert

Male Red Bishops weave a nest in the reeds. They mate with more than one female. Up to four eggs are laid.

Female Southern Red Bishop

Photo © Steven Herbert

Roberts Birds Names by Edition

Edition	Roberts nr	Scientific name
1st	808	Pyromelana orix orix
2nd	808	Euplectes orix
3rd	808	Euplectes orix
4th	808	Euplectes orix
5th	824	Euplectes orix
6th	824	Euplectes orix
7th	856	Euplectes orix

Edition	Roberts nr	English name
1st	808	Red Bishop Bird
2nd	808	Red Bishop Bird
3rd	808	Red Bishop
4th	808	Red Bishop
5th	824	Red Bishop
6th	824	Red Bishop
7th	856	Southern Red Bishop

Edition	Roberts nr	Afrikaans name
1st	808	Rooivink
2nd	808	Rooi Kaffervink
3rd	808	Rooi Kaffervink
4th	808	Rooi Kaffervink
5th	824	Rooivink
6th	824	Rooivink
7th	856	Rooivink

References and further reading

Wildlife of the Cape Peninsula - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2001 - Page: 67

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 180

Wild About Johannesburg - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 1995 - Page: 60

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 65

The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 345

Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 56

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 147

The Birds of South Africa - Author: Hazel Stokes - Published: 1979 - Page: 46

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 422

Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 388

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 563

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 573

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 733

Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 732

Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 322

Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 435

Questions and Answers - Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Published: 1990 - Page: 6

Newmans Garden Birds - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1991 - Page: 118

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 414

Meeting with Birds - Author: Tom Spence - Published: 1986 - Page: 110

Newmans Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 416

LBJs - Author: Newman, Johnson, Solomon, Masterson - Published: 1998 - Page: 121

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 413

Ian Sinclairs Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 308

Geoff Lockwoods Garden Birds of Southern Africa - Author: Geoff Lockwood - Published: 0 - Page: 110

Freshwater Life - Author: C. Griffiths, J. Day & M. Picker - Published: 2015 - Page: 62

Garden Birds in South Africa - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2017 - Page: 143

Field Guide to Fynbos Fauna - Author: Cliff & Suretha Dorse - Published: 2023 - Page: 194

Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 214

Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind - Author: B. Hilton-Barber & Prof. L. R. Berger - Published: 2004 - Page: 189

Everyones Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 50

Common Birds of the North Coast - Author: Bing Comrie - Published: 2005 - Page: 72

Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 78

Birds of the Transkei - Author: C.D. Quickelberge - Published: 1989 - Page: 116

Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 259

Birds of the South Western Cape - Author: Joy Frandsen - Published: 0 - Page: 217

Bird Atlas of Natal - Author: Digby Cyrus and Nigel Robson - Published: 1980 - Page: 275

Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 216

Birds of the Natal Drakensberg Park - Author: Robin Little and William Bainbridge - Published: 1992 - Page: 111

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Published: 1987 - Page: 113

African Wildlife - A photographic safari - Author: Nigel and Wendy Dennis - Published: 1999 - Page: 96

African Wildlife - Vol 42 No 3 - Author: - Published: 1988 - Page: 155

A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 303

BirdLife South Africa

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List of South African Birds