Montane widowbird
| Montane widowbird | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Ploceidae |
| Genus: | Euplectes |
| Species: | E. psammacromius |
| Binomial name | |
| Euplectes psammacromius (Reichenow, 1900) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Pentethria psammocromia lapsus | |
The montane widowbird (Euplectes psammacromius), also known as the mountain marsh widowbird is a species of bird in the Ploceidae family. It is an endemic resident of the eastern afro-mountain grassland (northeast Zambia, north Malawi and highlands of southwest Tanzania). Like all widowbirds the difference between male and female appearance is prominent during breeding season. In breeding season males molt into a black breeding plumage including long tail feathers and yellow shoulder patches (these patches have a discrete appearance during the non-breeding period). During this period males defend territories in early morning after sunrise and in the evening before sunset. Outside breeding season male and female appearance is similar, they are both speckled brown and black.
References
- BirdLife International 2004. Euplectes psammocromius. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 25 July 2007.
- Birds of East Africa. Terry Stevenson, John Fanshawe. 2002.
- Degree project data. 2010. David Krantz. Biology student, Department of Zoology, University of Gothenburg.