Explore the Heart of South Africa: Nature, Culture, Adventure
Shaft-tailed Whydah
Afrikaans name: Pylstertrooibekkie
Photo © EcoView - Fotolia.com
Vidua regia
During the summer breeding season the male Shaft-tailed Whydah has stunning looks but, for the rest of the year, it has drab brownish plumage like the female.
The Shaft-tailed Whydah is only found in Southern Africa from South Africa through to Angola.
They prefer open and drier areas such as those found in savanna.
The Shaft-tailed Whydah feeds exclusively on grass seeds which it looks for on the ground.
The Shaft-tailed Whydah parasitises the Violet-eared Waxbill although sometimes it will use either the Blue or Black-faced Waxbill as a host.
They search for suitable hosts for their eggs and then the female lays one egg per day in the nest of the unsuspecting hosts.
Roberts Birds Names by Edition
| Edition | Roberts nr | Scientific name |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 847 | Tetraenura regia |
| 2nd | 847 | Vidua regia |
| 3rd | 847 | Vidua regia |
| 4th | 847 | Vidua regia |
| 5th | 861 | Vidua regia |
| 6th | 861 | Vidua regia |
| 7th | 894 | Vidua regia |
| Edition | Roberts nr | English name |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 847 | Shaft-tailed Widow Bird |
| 2nd | 847 | Shaft-tailed Whydah |
| 3rd | 847 | Shaft-tailed Whydah |
| 4th | 847 | Shaft-tailed Whydah |
| 5th | 861 | Shafttailed Whydah |
| 6th | 861 | Shafttailed Whydah |
| 7th | 894 | Shaft-tailed Whydah |
| Edition | Roberts nr | Afrikaans name |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 847 | Pylstert |
| 2nd | 847 | Pylstert |
| 3rd | 847 | Pylstert |
| 4th | 847 | Pylstert |
| 5th | 861 | Pylstertrooibekkie |
| 6th | 861 | Pylstertrooibekkie |
| 7th | 894 | Pylstertrooibekkie |
References and further reading
The Birds of South Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Dr. Austin Roberts - Published: 1949 - Page: 361Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Published: 2011 - Page: 184
Southern African Bird Names Explained - Author: Charles Clinning - Published: 1989 - Page: 150
Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 5th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1985 - Page: 768
Roberts Birds of Southern Africa - 6th Edition - Author: Gordon Lindsay Maclean - Published: 1993 - Page: 767
Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 1993 - Page: 392
Sasol Birds of Southern Africa - 4th Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair et al. - Published: 2011 - Page: 426
Roberts Birds of South Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1975 - Page: 588
Roberts Birds of South Africa - 4th Edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1981 - Page: 600
Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 7th Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 2000 - Page: 432
Roberts Birds of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: McLachlan and Liversidge - Published: 1957 - Page: 457
Roberts Bird Guide - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 2007 - Page: 336
Newman s Birds of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Ken Newman - Published: 1984 - Page: 432
Ian Sinclair s Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: Ian Sinclair - Published: 1988 - Page: 312
LBJ s - Author: Newman, Johnson, Solomon, Masterson - Published: 1998 - Page: 117
Field Guide to the Birds of Kruger National Park - Author: Ian Sinclair and Ian Whyte - Published: 1991 - Page: 224
Collins Illustrated Checklist - Birds of Southern Africa - 1st edition - Author: Ber van Perlo - Published: 1999 - Page: 82
Everyone s Guide to South African Birds - Author: John Sinclair and John Mendelsohn - Published: 1987 - Page: 110
Birds of the Transvaal - Author: Tarboton, Kemp and Kemp - Published: 1987 - Page: 271
Birds of the Kruger and other National Parks - Volume 3 - Author: National Parks Board - Published: 1974 - Page: 22
A First Guide to South African Birds - 7th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1975 - Page: 34
Birds of Africa south of the Sahara - Author: Ian Sinclair and Peter Ryan - Published: 2003 - Page: 710
Birds of Southern Africa - Kruger National Park - Author: Kenneth Newman - Published: 1985 - Page: 218
A First Guide to South African Birds - 6th Edition - Author: Leonard Gill - Published: 1959 - Page: 34
A Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa - 2nd Edition - Author: O.P.M. Prozesky - Published: 1983 - Page: 322
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