Fan-tailed Widowbird (Euplectes axillaris)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Fan-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes axillaris (Smith, A, 1838)

25 gWeight

The fan-tailed widowbird (Euplectes axillaris), also known as the red-shouldered widowbird, is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae, which is native to grassy and swampy areas of the tropical and subtropical Afrotropics.

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Fan-tailed Widowbird has been recorded at 226 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 15 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania975 records
  2. Mabamba SwampUganda804 records
  3. Macaneta – Wetland, dune forests and coastMozambique545 records
More places
  1. Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa498 records
  2. Nyandungu Urban Wetland Eco-tourism ParkRwanda323 records
  3. Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya322 records
  4. iSimangaliso WP – Eastern ShoresSouth Africa319 records
  5. Rietvlei NRSouth Africa286 records
  6. Amboseli NPKenya262 records
  7. Mabamba Swamp – Main channelUganda260 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaUgandaTanzaniaKenyaRwandaMozambiqueBotswanaEswatini

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The fan-tailed widowbird (Euplectes axillaris), also known as the red-shouldered widowbird, is a species of bird in the family Ploceidae, which is native to grassy and swampy areas of the tropical and subtropical Afrotropics.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Fan-tailed Widowbird?

The Fan-tailed Widowbird weighs around 25 g.

Where does the Fan-tailed Widowbird live?

Its breeding range: Africa: central, eastern, southeastern. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania.

When is the best time to see the Fan-tailed Widowbird?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Fan-tailed Widowbird endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Fan-tailed Widowbird as Least Concern.

What does the Fan-tailed Widowbird eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Fan-tailed Widowbird in?

It belongs to the family Weavers, Widowbirds (Ploceidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
25 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Seeds
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
85 mm
Tail
65 mm
Bill
17 mm
Tarsus
24 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: central, eastern, southeastern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Weavers, Widowbirds Ploceidae
Genus
Euplectes

Other birds in the genus Euplectes

Yellow-crowned BishopYellow-crowned BishopEuplectes aferFire-fronted BishopFire-fronted BishopEuplectes diadematusBlack BishopBlack BishopEuplectes gierowiiZanzibar Red BishopZanzibar Red BishopEuplectes nigroventrisBlack-winged Red BishopBlack-winged Red BishopEuplectes hordeaceusSouthern Red BishopSouthern Red BishopEuplectes orixNorthern Red BishopNorthern Red BishopEuplectes franciscanusGolden-backed BishopGolden-backed BishopEuplectes aureusYellow BishopYellow BishopEuplectes capensisYellow-mantled WidowbirdYellow-mantled WidowbirdEuplectes macrouraMarsh WidowbirdMarsh WidowbirdEuplectes hartlaubiMontane WidowbirdMontane WidowbirdEuplectes psammacromius
Fan-tailed Widowbird

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Вадим Ивушкин. ↗

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