Long-tailed Widowbird (Euplectes progne)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Long-tailed Widowbird

Euplectes progne (Boddaert, 1783)

35 gWeight

The long-tailed widowbird (Euplectes progne) is a species of bird in the weaver family Ploceidae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Eswatini

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Eswatini

Long-tailed Widowbird has been recorded at 70 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Rietvlei NRSouth Africa1,067 records
  2. Marievale Bird SanctuarySouth Africa1,006 records
  3. Suikerbosrand NRSouth Africa376 records
More places
  1. Wakkerstroom Wetland NR – bridge/causewaySouth Africa316 records
  2. Wakkerstroom areaSouth Africa291 records
  3. Lake Nakuru NPKenya238 records
  4. Midmar Dam – South ShoreSouth Africa215 records
  5. Wakkerstroom Wetland NRSouth Africa200 records
  6. Liuwa Plain NPZambia65 records
  7. Malolotja Nature ReserveEswatini64 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaEswatiniZambiaLesothoMozambique

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 long-tailed widowbird (Euplectes progne) is a species of bird in the weaver family Ploceidae. The species is found in Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia. The long-tailed widowbird is a medium-sized bird and one of the most common in the territories it inhabits.

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

Questions

How big is the Long-tailed Widowbird?

The Long-tailed Widowbird weighs around 35 g.

Where does the Long-tailed Widowbird live?

Its breeding range: Africa: eastern, south-central. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Eswatini.

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

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

Is the Long-tailed Widowbird endangered?

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

What does the Long-tailed Widowbird eat?

Main food: Seeds.

What family is the Long-tailed Widowbird in?

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

At a glance

Weight
35 g
Habitat
Grassland
Diet
Seeds
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
120 mm
Tail
239 mm
Bill
18 mm
Tarsus
25 mm

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

Range

Africa: eastern, south-central

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 capensisFan-tailed WidowbirdFan-tailed WidowbirdEuplectes axillarisYellow-mantled WidowbirdYellow-mantled WidowbirdEuplectes macrouraMarsh WidowbirdMarsh WidowbirdEuplectes hartlaubi
Long-tailed Widowbird

Download illustration

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

WebP · 1070 px

Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.

In other languages